No matter what, neither the Buccaneers nor any other team will open the 2017 season with Doug Martin on the field. Martin must serve the remaining three of his four game drug suspension that began in week 17 of last season. So we know he will be on the sidelines, somewhere.
The question is where? The assumption has been that it will not be with Tampa, due to the fact that the suspension voided his guaranteed money, combined with his injury woes. Most of us have assumed that the Bucs would deem Martin not worth it anymore and direct the running game elsewhere.