Yes, Doug Martin will still miss three games this year

Doug Martin is suspended for the first three games of the 2017 NFL season. Apparently that’s a complicated story for some, as I’ve seen repeated questions about the length of his suspension now that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first game of the season has been moved to week 11.

So, long story short: Doug Martin is suspended for the first three games of the season, which in the Bucs’ case means against the Chicago Bears on September 17, at the Minnesota Vikings on September 24, and against the New York Giants on October 1. That’s it.

The September 10 game against the Miami Dolphins being moved to week 11 due to Hurricane Irma does not mean Martin will only miss two games, nor does it mean that he’ll miss that specific game.

In Martin’s absence, we can expect Jacquizz Rodgers to get the vast majority of the carries, especially with only three backs on the roster. Add in Charles Sims as the third-down back and Peyton Barber as an emergency, more bruising back, and you’ve got a good idea of what to expect.