Rodgers rushed a career-high 30 times for 101 yards and caught five passes (on six targets) for 28 yards in Monday night's game against the Panthers.
Rodgers' first start with the Buccaneers came with Doug Martin (hamstring) sidelined and Charles Sims (knee) placed on IR, but the veteran's familiarity with coach Dirk Koetter's offense paid dividends Monday. On Tampa Bay's first drive, Rodgers received a whopping 11 touches, evidencing the team's shift from placing too much reliance on quarterback Jameis Winston. By the end of the night, Rodgers' 3.4 yards per rush didn't look great, but he certainly made his impact felt, totaling nearly 130 all-purpose yards. Although he wasn't able to find the end zone despite 35 touches in total, Rodgers' performance should allow him to remain in the picture even if Martin returns following the Bucs' Week 6 bye.