In just four days I will be at Soldier Field watching my Buccaneers try to get to 3-1. I’ve known that I have been going to this game since the schedule came out. The only differences between then and now are that the Buccaneers are 2-1 when I thought they would be 0-3 coming into this game and I don’t know who will be starting at quarterback. It has to be Fitzpatrick, right? He has three straight 400 yard games and the beard of a Greek God.
If for whatever reason Dirk Koetter throws a curve ball and names Jameis the starter, the only performer that I would temper my expectations on would be O.J. Howard. Jameis has showed a tendency to target Cameron Brate heavily in the red zone. It’s not like we’ve seen a bunch of Howard in the red zone to this point being that both of his touchdowns have been long runs after the catch, but I think Jameis would drive the nail further into the red zone coffin. While I’m writing about the Bucs, my apologies for pushing you to draft Peyton Barber. I figured that the Bucs would lean on the running game in these first few weeks but that just hasn’t happened. I also didn’t know that he was so unreliable after first contact. Yeesh. However, I will take credit for Chris Godwin shares and Reid will too.
I have Mahomes a little lower this week. I don’t think he will have a bad game, I just think that Brees, Roethlisberger, and Matt Ryan will crush it. Dalvin Cook is a question mark coming into Thursday’s game so that is something that you should monitor closely on Thursday afternoon. If he plays, he is start-able and if it’s Latavius Murray I’m at least considering him for my flex. The problem with last week was game-script unpredictability. He should have flourished. In the wide receiver category, I believe in Calvin Ridley as a WR2 going forward. Matt Ryan has obviously taking a liking to him in the last couple of weeks in the red zone. In Rudy’s depth charts, he predicts Ridley’s snap count to be close to 70% for the rest of the season and I think that will continue to rise.
You can follow me on twitter.
