One week after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped their opening game against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, Leonard Fournette has been effective early, helping to ensure his embattled team rebounds.

The Buccaneers hold an early 21-0 lead against another division opponent in the Carolina Panthers after Fournette's one-yard touchdown run.

While the success of the Buccaneers' offense will still largely depend on Tom Brady's performance in the passing game, Fournette's production will be critical in determining Tampa Bay's postseason hopes. Signed to a one-year contract following his release by the Jacksonville Jaguars after an inconsistent 2019 season, Fournette still boasts the ability to initiate explosive runs, ranking seventh among all backs last season in rushes totaling 15 or more yards, with 13, according to tracking data from NFLscrapR.

His success at gaining significant yardage notwithstanding, Fournette still struggled to average an efficient yard-per-carry average throughout last season, raising doubts about his ability to still be an every-down running back. Specifically, the Jaguars' putrid performance in the red zone was an issue that was often placed squarely on his shoulders, with the former LSU grad ranking among the lower half of backs in gains inside the 20-yard line.

It's no wonder then, why his goal-line score and the Buccanneers' early lead, have the Tampa Bay faithful, smiling early Sunday afternoon.