Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 4 Stock Report

Through three weeks of the 2015 regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit at 1-2, coming off a 19-9 road loss to the Houston Texans marred by missed opportunities.

Tampa Bay's defense kept the floodgates closed as long as they could, while their offensive line held J.J. Watt and the Texans without a sack, but the Bucs simply couldn't take advantage. They converted just one of their 12 third-down attempts while leaving 10 points out on the field by way of missed kicks.

But this week, the Bucs must turn their attention to a much bigger matchup, as they return home to face the NFC South rival Carolina Panthers, who are sitting pretty at 3-0. A win for the Bucs would put them at 2-2 with a 2-0 record within the division and build serious momentum as they close out the first quarter of the season.

Which players are seeing their stock go up or down heading into this week's divisional showdown?

Up: Offensive Line

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Tampa Bay's offensive line has garnered plenty of criticism over the past couple of years, and with good reason. But Sunday's performance against a tough Houston Texans front was a promising sign the unit is improving.

Despite going up against the likes of J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, the Bucs didn't surrender a single sack, keeping quarterback Jameis Winston well-protected for most of the afternoon. Watt had notched at least one sack in each of the past seven games but saw his streak broken against the Bucs.

There's still plenty of work for this group to do in the running game, for sure. But considering there are two rookies in the starting lineup—as well as two veterans who recently joined the team in Joe Hawley and Gosder Cherilus—Bucs fans have reason to be hopeful about the development up front.

Down: K Kyle Brindza

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What a difference a week makes.

In Week 2, Kyle Brindza helped the Bucs take home a big win on the road with multiple field goals, showing off his power and distance. But the Notre Dame product had an awful outing in Houston this past week, missing three field goals and an extra point in a game the Bucs lost by 10 points.

Brindza again wowed fans with his range, nailing a 58-yarder in the first half on Sunday, but he fell off the rails after that, with three of his four misses coming from manageable distances.

The team has already spoken out in support of Brindza, so don't expect any changes at the position this week. But if things continue to unravel for the young kicker, don't be surprised if the Bucs search for a potential replacement who can be more consistent.

Up: WR Louis Murphy

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After catching 31 passes for 380 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season, the Bucs signed Murphy to a three-year extension in the offseason, and he's already proving it was a wise investment.

After missing the season opener due to injury, Murphy has been a big-play machine over the past two weeks. The former Florida Gator has racked up 143 yards on just six catches, averaging a ridiculous 23.8 yards per catch.

With Mike Evans still shaking off the rust from a hamstring injury, Murphy has been a welcome downfield threat for Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay offense. He gives the Bucs valuable veteran experience and depth, and he should continue to see plenty of action as opposing teams focus their attentions on Evans and Vincent Jackson.

Down: CB Tim Jennings

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A late addition in the preseason after the Chicago Bears cut him, Jennings is yet another fresh face in Tampa Bay who played for head coach Lovie Smith previously.

But while Jennings has flashed some positive capabilities at times—especially for being 31 years old—he struggled last week after getting the starting nod over Alterraun Verner. Jennings got embarrassed off the line of scrimmage on a short touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins and had trouble all game handling the young playmaker out of Clemson.

Jennings also got banged up during the game but was able to return. It looks like the Bucs want to rely on him to start, which means he'll have to elevate his play, be more consistent and stay healthy.

Up: DT Henry Melton

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One of many offseason additions with previous experience playing under head coach Lovie Smith in Chicago, Melton is already making a positive impact as a rotational player for the Bucs.

While listed as a defensive tackle, Melton has also gotten snaps at defensive end, showing versatility and quickness off the ball. He had his best game yet on Sunday, notching three tackles and Tampa Bay's only sack of the game.

Melton was disruptive on multiple plays last week, getting immediate penetration and forcing Houston's running backs to make decisions before they were ready. With Gerald McCoy still pushing through a shoulder injury, don't be surprised to see the Bucs continue to lean on Melton to make big plays all season long.