If you are a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, you must be dissatisfied with the way the team's defense played yesterday. They made Marcus Mariota look like 1999 Kurt Warner, en route to a 42-14 drubbing.
However, if there's one positive to be taken away from yesterday's game, it's the way Austin Seferian-Jenkins played.
To say he stepped up would be an understatement. He filled the void left by Mike Evans, who was out with a hamstring injury, nagging 110 yards receiving with 2 TD's. He played with so much enthusiasm and joy, it makes you wonder why this Austin Seferian-Jenkins didn't show up last season. Yes, his 2014 was cut short due to injury, but he only had 221 yards with 2 TD's in 9 games last year.
Did I agree with his high-stepping in the end zone while the Bucs were getting pounded? No, but we all do things that are stupid. Plus, he hasn't had many of those moments during his rather short NFL career.
If you have ASJ on your fantasy football team, you got some major points yesterday.
I think Jameis Winston will benefit greatly from a healthy Mike Evans, a rejuvenated Seferian-Jenkins, and Vincent Jackson, who grabbed 51 yards on 4 receptions yesterday. With those weapons, Winston should have a much better showing next week when the Buccaneers go into New Orleans to battle the Saints.
Seferian-Jenkins feels way better about his game than he has ever before.
"I feel like I’ve always been confident in what I can do and coach (Dirk) Koetter did a great job of calling some great plays and Jameis (Winston) did a great job of throwing the ball to me," Seferain-Jenkins told the Tampa Tribune. "The O-line held up great when it was my turn to get up and get the ball and make a play."
Fantasy football experts think Seferian-Jenkins is in for a big year.
"Winston loves his tight ends and ASJ is better than anyone he's ever had", says TJ Wilson, who hosts the Fantasy News Hour on 98 The Ticket in Abilene, Texas (also on iTunes), and is a lifelong Florida State fan. "(Nick) O'Leary was good, but ASJ is on another level. From a fantasy perspective, ASJ will have a big year."
If he can stay healthy, there's no reason why Seferian-Jenkins can't have a good year. There's optimism that he contribute greatly to this offense, and show some of the flashes of greatness he displayed while at the University of Washington.
He's got another shot at it next week at New Orleans.