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It's clear Bucs face dropoff from Doug Martin to Charles Sims

Charles Sims has excelled as a complementary player who has been valuable for the Bucs on third downs. Getty Images

TAMPA — Doug Martin is not expected to play football this week. Or next week. Or perhaps the week after that.

The Bucs' $7.15 million running back, the NFL's second-leading rusher last season, is hurt again, which seems to happen to Martin every even-numbered year. How odd.

The hamstring injury he suffered in the first quarter of the Bucs' 40-7 loss at Arizona, according to the NFL Network, could force Martin to miss the next three games — Sunday's home opener against the Rams then home against the Super Bowl champion Broncos Oct.