For clarification purposes and because I am an egomaniac who loves to gloat, I was one of the first people over at Bleacher Report that started placing Doug Martin into the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft..He ended up going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 30.

Additionally, my preseason fantasy rankings seemed to suggest that the Boise State product would produce RB1 numbers as a rookie.

Following his 214-yard, two touchdown performance against the Minnesota Vikings last night, not many people are going to question that idea. Though Martin had struggled to an extent through the early point in the season, he was still among the top fantasy running backs in the NFL, on pace for 1,475 total yards and five touchdowns following five games. Those numbers have obviously changed dramatically after Martin’s performance on Thursday.

Martin has now accumulated 767 total yards and four scores through the first seven games of the season. WIthout taking into account what Alfred Morris might do against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Martin has now been the most productive overall rookie running back in the NFL. Keep in mind that Tampa had a bye a couple weeks ago, so Martin really doesn’t have the upper-hand of playing an extra game.

In a sign of what one stellar, breathtaking performance can do, Martin is now a RB1 option, at least in terms of statistics.

It is important to note that the Minnesota Vikings had given up 300 total rushing yards in their last two games against the Washington Redskins and Arizona Cardinals prior to yielding just 313 yards in the first five games of the season.

All of a sudden, Martin ranks No. 8 among running backs in both rushing yards and fantasy point production as well as No. 3 in receiving yards. Those are definitely indications that the 2012 first-round pick is prepared to build off of what has been a strong rookie campaign thus far. Overall, Martin has put up 464 total yards over the course of the last three games.

Don’t expect this to change next week when the Buccaneers travel to Oakland to take on an anemic Raiders’ rush defense. Expect Martin to accumulate 150 total yards and a score.

This dude is now RB1 material and there is no looking back.