Buccaneers at Cardinals: 5 best fantasy options

Tampa Bay is coming off their first win in a season opener since 2012 following a 31-24 victory over the NFC South rival Falcons. Jameis Winston completed 23 of 33 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns against one interception to lead the Bucs.

I think the Cardinals are too good of a team to start off 0-2. Charles Sims had 32 receiving yards out of the backfield and a touchdown last week. Not only are the two teams tied with nine wins apiece in the all-time series, each of the last seven games has been decided by seven points or fewer, majority coming down to the wire.

Some things to consider when the Buccaneers face the Cardinals on Sunday. “The communication is sometimes, ‘I’ve got my guy beat”.

CARDINALS PK Chandler Cantanzaro missed 47-yard potential game-winning FG with 41 seconds left in Week 1, in no small part due to errant snap from new long-snappper. Larry Fitzgerald looked like an ageless wonder, snagging eight catches for 81 yards and an awe-inspiring touchdown pass, keeping the Cardinals in the game late in the fourth quarter.

Jameis Winston said that his dad “has it somewhere”, but he’s not sure exactly where it is.

Tampa Bay is now trailing Arizona 10-0 in the second quarter. The other times: Winston in 2015 (10/11 vs. JAC-10/25 at WAS); Mike Glennon in 2013 (11/17 vs. ATL-11/24 at DET); Josh Freeman in 2010 (12/26 vs. SEA-1/2/11 at NO); and Trent Dilfer in 1997 (9/14 at MIN-9/2 vs. MIA). Finally, target Vincent Jackson early and often. “It can be big for them and it can also be big for us”. Atlanta was 3 of 13 against Tampa Bay. “He throws with great anticipation, throws with great timing”. The Buccaneers’ offense appears more potent than it ever has been, and their pass rush showed some major improvements relative to last season. Beyond Fitzgerald at the receiver position, the Cardinals have Michael Floyd (3 recs., 61 yards last week) and John Brown (1 rec., 8 yards). He was the Class 5A Player of the Year and Back of the Year in 2011, when he threw for 2,424 yards and 28 touchdowns and ran for 1,065 yards and 15 TDs as a senior. Johnson might have a tough time getting it going on the ground against the Bucs, but he is a very good receiving threat out of the backfield and could pick up most of his fantasy points on passing plays.

Of all the games on Sunday, the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals is one of the more intriguing ones.

“Last week it was a check down game, this week it will be more of a “get it out on time” game”, Koetter said. With such a performance, could he expect to see the Cardinals’ top cornerback shadow him around the field all day? And there were plenty more fantasy points to go around.

There are no mulligans in the National Football League, but for a team as talented as the Cardinals, there is still plenty of time to escape the sand trap.