Rodgers will be the lead back Sunday against the Panthers due to Doug Martin's suspension and Charles Sims' (pectoral) placement on injured reserve, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Martin was curiously inactive in Week 16 and ruled out well in advance of the regular season finale, but his absence went unexplained until Wednesday, when it was revealed he would enter treatment after receiving a four-game ban for a violation of the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. With Martin out of the picture, Rodgers figured to be the primary beneficiary. However, the upcoming DNP of Sims will place most of the touches afforded Bucs running backs in Rodgers' hands, while the remainder will filter down to Peyton Barber and potentially Russell Hansbrough. On the season, Rodgers has displayed acuity as both a runner and pass-catcher, tallying 112 carries for 485 yards and two touchdowns and gathering in 12 of 15 targets for 94 yards.