With reference to Martin being made inactive Saturday against the Saints, coach Dirk Koetter called the move a "coaches' decision" influenced by Tampa Bay's special teams needs, ESPN's Jenna Laine reports.
With the Bucs wanting both Charles Sims and Peyton Barber available on special teams, Martin was the odd man out Saturday, while Jacquizz Rodgers -- who was a healthy scratch last week -- suiting up and serving as the team's lead back in Week 16. "We really only have room for one primary ball carrier right now," Koetter noted. "I felt like it was better for us this game to go with Jacquizz." Martin has missed six games this season with a hamstring injury, but his deactivation Saturday was not injury-related. Rather, a 2.9 yards per carry average on the season (down from his 4.9 YPC in 2015) is a more tangible reason for his surprising scratch. How Koetter handles the team's backfield in Week 17 remains to to be seen, but the Bucs do at least have a wafer-thin chance of making the playoffs.