The San Francisco 49ers are unlikely to face running back Doug Martin on Sunday when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter told media on Wednesday that Martin suffered a setback “a week ago Sunday,” and the team is in a wait and see mode as to when he’ll return.
Barring anything surprising, Jacquizz Rodgers will start in Martin’s place. Rodgers started his career with the Atlanta Falcons, but was unable to do much more than serve as a complementary option. His most significant contributions came in 2012 and 2013, when he had 94 rushes for 362 yards, and 96 rushes for 332 yards, respectively. He spent last season with the Chicago Bears before signing a one-year deal with the Bucs.
Rodgers had 13 carries for 69 yards through the first four games. After Martin and Charles Sims both got hurt, Rodgers got the start in Week 5. He rushed 30 times for 101 yards, and had five receptions for 28 yards. 3.4 yards per carry shows more quantity than quality, but given the 49ers run defense problems, he could be in for a big day.