Hurricane Irma is a Category 5 storm that looks poised to cause a massive amount of damage to people and property. In response, the NFL has moved the Buccaneers-Dolphins game scheduled for Sunday in Miami to Week 11, when both teams had scheduled byes.
If you’re a fantasy football degenerate like me, your thoughts instantly wandered to what this means for your stupid fake football team. Personally, I heard the news, checked my roster and realized I’d have to start Sam fucking Bradford at quarterback in Week 1.
But there’s more to it than the NFL just shoving a bye week into Week 1 for the first time since 2001. What about Doug Martin’s suspension? Martin, popped for drugs last season, served one week of his four-game suspension in Week 17 of last season. But are NFL suspensions served in weeks or games? If it’s weeks, Martin gets to play an extra game this year. My fantasy league had a debate about this on our endless email chain. One of the dudes in the league, the one who took out a newspaper ad to congratulate himself on winning the championship one season, even tweeted at Brian Baldinger in order to check the facts.
Or, to put it another way:
I don’t mean to single out Mark here. Lots of people had the same question. There was even a question about Doug Martin at a Dirk Koetter press conference today. “Doug’s situation right now—these last two days have been crazy—that’s been way back in my mind,” Koetter said. (In case you’re the type of fantasy football player who doesn’t even know the coaches, Dirk Koetter is the head coach of the Bucs.)
There is a hurricane barreling toward Florida and I am wondering whether Doug Martin will get to play in Week 4 against the Giants. He’s not even on my roster! I am worse than Mark; I didn’t even bother to send out prayers for those in the path of Irma first.
Anyway, yes, Doug Martin’s suspension is obviously measured in games, not weeks, and he’ll miss Week 4 against the Giants. He will be eligible to return in Week 5. Phew. I am glad I now know this.