Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette missed the team's Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, but he could be back on Thursday against the Chicago Bears.
Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said Monday “there's a shot for Leonard this week,” adding the likes of Chris Godwin and others are still being assessed on a daily basis, per Greg Auman of The Athletic.
The Buccaneers staged a big comeback over the Chargers, thanks in part to a resurgent performance from Tom Brady.
Brady threw for 369 yards and five touchdowns despite missing Godwin and also dealing with a banged-up Mike Evans. Tampa Bay also had success establishing the running game, even without Fournette.
Ronald Jones rushed 20 times for 111 yards, carving through L.A.'s defense and setting the Buccaneers up for success in the passing game.
Article Continues BelowThat said, Tampa Bay would probably prefer to have Fournette back in the mix.
The former Jacksonville Jaguars running back offers a change of pace from Jones as a downhill kind of runner. Fournette rushed for 103 yards and a pair of scores in Week 2, including a 46-yard run that sealed the win over the Carolina Panthers.
Fournette gives Tampa Bay another option on the ground and frees up Jones to get more involved in the passing game, which is particularly important given Godwin's status and with Evans ailing.
The Buccaneers have now won three straight after a Week 1 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Brady's big game seems to bode well moving forward, though establishing the run should take some of the pressure off the 43-year-old to constantly make plays through the air.