Los Angeles Rams

Rams at Buccaneers: 5 best fantasy options

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) prior to a NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1) host the Los Angeles Rams (1-1) in Week 3. Here are the five players to consider starting on a fantasy team from this game.

Though this might be a game that many will overlook in the national landscape in Week 3, there might be some good fantasy football plays when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium.

Tampa Bay is coming off an embarrassing road loss Week 2 at the Arizona Cardinals where quarterback Jameis Winston looked rattled in a crushing 40-7 defeat. Los Angeles won a defensive struggle over another bad offense in the Seattle Seahawks at home in Week 2, 9-3.

While both teams epitomize inconsistency in the early part of the season, here are the five guys to consider starting on your fantasy football team in Week 3 from the Buccaneers/Rams matchup on Sunday.

5. Tavon Austin

The Buccaneers defense has surrendered at least 24 points in each of its first two games. Though the putrid Rams offense has only put up nine points all season and no touchdowns to speak of, Los Angeles is getting into the end zone this week.

While he may not get his first touchdown of the season, look for Rams star wide receiver Tavon Austin to have a big game against Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon. ESPN.com leagues don’t think he’s going to have a great day with just 6.7 projected points, but NFL.com leagues think Austin will garner 13.34 fantasy points this week.

Tampa Bay has talented defensive players like defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and linebacker Lavonte David, but the Buccaneers are not yet elite at any level of their defense under new defensive coordinator Mike Smith.

Austin is capable of making poor-tackling teams miss with his ability to juke in yards after the catch. Smith’s defenses don’t tackle well and are only really good when he has an elite front four to work with.

Look for Austin to move the chains and help give this bad Rams offense some rhythm in this game. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him gain 100 all-purpose yards in this game. Tampa Bay gives up points. Maybe Austin does get in the end zone on Sunday after all?

Sep 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) makes a catch against Arizona Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) during the first half at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

4. Mike Evans

In the early part of his NFL career, Jameis Winston’s favorite receiving target on his Buccaneers team has to be wide receiver Mike Evans. Evans is in his third NFL season after being drafted in the top 10 by the Buccaneers in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M University.

The Rams have an elite NFL defense, but if Tampa Bay is going to win at home in Week, Evans will have to come up big for the Buccaneers. ESPN.com leagues have Evans earning 9.3 fantasy points. NFL.com leagues have Evans garnering 13.34 points on Sunday.

What fantasy experts believe is that Winston is going to target Los Angeles’ weakened secondary with a bunch of ‘go-up-and-grab-it’ passes to Evans between the hash marks. Evans will be a huge mismatch up the middle for the Rams back-seven. Very likely he’ll have over 100 yards receiving.

Given that Evans has elite verticality, steady hands, and the build of a 6’5″ tight end, he’s going to have at least one touchdown catch for the Buccaneers in this one. A hundred-yard receiving day with a touchdown receptions easily puts Evans over 16 fantasy points against a stout Rams defense.

Sep 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Charles Sims (34) scores a touchdown reception against Atlanta Falcons defensive back Brian Poole (34) in the second quarter of their game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

3. Charles Sims

Doug Martin will be out the next three weeks with a hamstring injury. If he’s available on the waiver wire in your fantasy football league, go grab Martin’s backup in Charles Sims immediately before he’s gone.

Sims is projected to have 10.6 points in both ESPN and NFL.com fantasy leagues. While Dirk Koetter’s Air Coryell attack has obviously been more pass-heavy in recent years that a balanced offense, Koetter will want the Buccaneers to open up the pass with the run in this one.

Winston is still a roller coaster ride of emotions as an NFL quarterback. He’s unstoppable when he’s feeling good, but mediocre when things aren’t going the Buccaneers way. The last thing Koetter will want is for his franchise quarterback to play without confidence at home against a solid Rams defense.

This means that the offensive game plan will have Sims involved early to allow the game to come to Winston. Should pounding the rock prove effective for Sims early, he could approach 100 yards on the ground.

What makes him a better fantasy play than most in this game is his ability to make plays in the screen passing game. Sims is capable of getting the Buccaneers into the end zone on a pass or a run. He’ll be Winston’s weapon of choice in this tight NFC home game.

Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) runs against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) during the second half of a NFL game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

2. Todd Gurley

Los Angeles doesn’t have a touchdown on the 2016 NFL season…yet. Todd Gurley is going to get the Rams offense into the end zone in this football game. Tampa Bay’s defense has been lousy the first two weeks. It will be the easiest the Rams have gone up against so far this season.

For Los Angeles to move to 2-1 on the year with an impressive road win in Tampa, Gurley will have to be the best player on the field. It’s very likely that Gurley could torch the Buccaneers defense with well over 150 all-purpose yards in this game.

ESPN.com leagues project Gurley to have 13.6 points, while NFL.com leagues have him at only 7.40 total fantasy points. He’s going to get yards for the Rams on Sunday. More likely than not they are coming on the ground, as Rams quarterback Case Keenum is just a placeholder until rookie Jared Goff is ready to start.

Gurley should have close to 20 fantasy points in this game, especially if he gets into the end zone more than once against a mediocre Buccaneers defense. He will give the Rams their first touchdown of 2016 since relocating to Los Angeles.

Sep 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) leaves the field after the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals won 40-7. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

1. Jameis Winston

This is an important game for Winston in his development as an NFL quarterback. He’s going up against a top-10 defense in football. He played horribly against the best defensive unit in the NFL last week in Arizona. Winston needs to rebound at home in Week 3 to restore confidence surely lost in the Valley of the Sun.

ESPN.com leagues have Winston gaining 14.9 fantasy points. NFL.com leagues projecting him doing better with 18.12 points. The Buccaneers are favored to win this game for two reasons: 1.) This is a home game for Tampa Bay. 2.) Winston only needs to get the Buccaneers into the end zone maybe three times to beat Los Angeles.

Do expect him to turn the football over to at least keep this game interesting early. This game feels like it could be a tight one entering the fourth quarter. Winston may struggle early to figure out how to best exploit the Rams defense, but will muster together two solid drives in the fourth quarter to give him a respectable day for your fantasy game.

If you have another quarterback on your team, maybe start him over Winston. However, Winston is probably the safest play of any player in the Rams/Buccaneers game on Sunday. If he throws for 200 yards and two touchdowns, that’s the safest 16 points any player could have from this particular NFC contest.