Doug Martin injury: Buccaneers running back out for Sunday

Doug Martin won't play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, when they take on Washington. Despite Martin participating in practice on a limited basis throughout the week, the Muscle Hamster was ruled out by Lovie Smith today.

With Martin's absence, Bobby Rainey and Charles Sims should once again get the bulk of the carries, while Mike James seems to be the team's preferred short-yardage back. Sims actually got more carries than Rainey last week, but it's not clear whether that was simple coincidence brought on by the flow of the game, or a structural move. Regardless, Rainey was more productive on his four carries than Sims was on his eight -- and neither could do very much against a horrible Atlanta defense, as Josh McCown turned out to be the team's leading rusher.

Sims and Rainey will get yet another chance to prove that they deserve to be the team's main running backs going forward, however. And given Martin's lack of production and overall struggles this season, it seems like just a matter of time before he's phased out entirely.