NFL Fantasy Football Matchup Cheat Sheet: Tampa Bay Buccaneers |

NFL Fantasy Football Matchup Cheat Sheet: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In NFL daily fantasy leagues, matchups are important. Pay attention to favorable matchups rather than the overall quality of individual players. It is better to select an above-average offensive player facing poor to average defense than an elite talent facing above-average to elite defense.

Each position is ranked according to one of these four ratings: Elite, Above-average, Average, and Poor.

Offense

QB Josh McCown, Mike Glennon: Average

RB Doug Martin, Mike James, Charlie Sims: Above-average

WR1 Vincent Jackson: Above-average

WR2 Mike Evans: Average

Slot WR Robert Herron: Average

TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins: Average

O-line: LT Anthony Collins, LG Carl Nicks, C Evan Dietrch-Smith, RG Patrick Omameh, RT Demar Dotson: Above-average

Both Martin and James have had promising short careers limited by injury. Throw in talented rookie Charlie Sims and you get a running back by committee approach that is sure to damage each player’s individual production. Avoid Tampa Bay RBs.

Mike Evans may be tempting due to his matchup nightmare size, pre-draft hype, and high draft selection, but keep in mind that is rare for WRs to have consistent production without at least a year or two of NFL experience. The Tampa Bay WR you should be considering is Jackson, who is bordering elite status and has sustained a high level of play for years.

Defense

CB1 Alterraun Verner: Above-average

CB2 Johnathon Banks: Average

Nickel CB D.J. Moore: Average

Safeties: SS Mark Barron, FS Dashon Goldson: Average

Linebackers: WLB Lavonte David, MLB Dane Fletcher, SLB Johnathon Casillas: Above-average

D-line: DE Michael Johnson, DT Gerald McCoy, DT Clinton McDonald, DE William Gholston: Above-average

McCoy and David are among the best at their positions, and Verner and Johnson were solid free agent pick-ups. New head coach Lovie Smith is sure to make the most of the average players that fill out the rest of this defense. Avoid WR1 and RBs against Tampa Bay, but WR2s and slot WRs have a decent enough matchup.