Carolina Panthers: Top 5 Fantasy Players to Target
Carolina Panthers: Top 5 Fantasy Players to Target
The Carolina Panthers are one of the young, up-and-coming teams in the NFL, improving their win total each of the last two seasons following the 2-14 disaster they endured in 2010. There is great talent all over the field, and much of that talent can be a big boost to your fantasy team. The Panthers may have an uphill battle to the playoffs in the tough NFC South, but their players will definitely help you make the playoffs in your fantasy league.
The fantasy stars of the Panthers are the aerial combo of quarterback Cam Newtown and Steve Smith. Newton backed up his phenomenal rookie year with a strong sophomore campaign, accounting for 27 total touchdowns. He is arguably the best dual threat QB in the NFL, and he is likely to be among the top five or six quarterbacks on most draft boards. His favorite target, Smith, had a solid season last year, though his touchdown total dipped from the 2011 season. However, he certainly remains in the upper echelon of fantasy wide receivers.
Don’t think that dangerous duo is all the Panthers have to offer. They ranked in 9th in the league in both rushing attempts and rushing yards as well as 3rd in rushing touchdowns last season. They have a crowded backfield that can be a nightmare to decipher at times, but each of those players can be a solid contributor to a fantasy team. Newton has shown he can find more targets than Smith as well, and Carolina’s cast of young receivers will be looking to break out.
As always, consider your league’s scoring format and roster limits before drafting, because player value can be different in every league. Taking those factors into account, these are 5 Panthers that owners should have their eye on during their draft.
5. Luke Kuechly
The Panthers took middle linebacker Luke Kuechly with the 9th pick in last year’s draft, and they were rewarded with a Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign that saw the Boston College product rack up a ridiculous 164 tackles, best in the NFL. Kuechly should be among the first three defenders off the board in IDP leagues, and he figures to again rank among the league leaders in tackles. He was average in other areas, totaling three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and one sack. However, Kuechly should improve on his sack and INT totals as the talent around him allows him to do things other than simply chase the running back down. Kuechly is one of the top young linebackers in football, and he will be extremely productive in fantasy.
4. DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is one of the most inconsistent and frustrating players in fantasy, but he still manages to produce a solid level. He ran for 737 yards and five touchdowns on just 173 carries last season, making him a flex or RB3 type player in most leagues. However, Jonathan Stewart is having ankle problems and is very questionable for the start of season. If Stewart misses significant time then Williams gets a huge value boost and could be considered a solid RB2. Take note of this, though, whether you own Williams or Stewart: Cam Newton and fullback Mike Tolbert will vulture goal line carries and touchdowns, which limits the value of both running backs. The Panthers backfield can be difficult to figure out, but Williams is the best bet of the group.
3. Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen has become the No. 2 option in the Carolina passing attack, and Olsen posted 69 receptions for 843 yards last season, both career highs. His touchdowns were somewhat limited with just five, but overall he was a consistently productive option at the tight end spot. The Panthers may come to realize that continually running franchise QB Newton on QB sneaks at the goal line is very risky, and changing that strategy would almost certainly result in an increase in Olsen’s red zone targets. As is, he is a borderline starter depending on the depth of your league. With increased touchdowns, however, Olsen could become a top 10 fantasy tight end.
2. Steve Smith
Smith is one of the most consistent and productive wide receivers in the game, and last season was his 7th 1,000 yard season out of the 11 seasons in which he has played 14 or more games. Barring injury, it is a very safe bet that Smith will break the 1,000-yard plateau again, as he is by far the most targeted receiver on the Panthers. The issue with Smith, however, is his touchdown production. He only found the end zone four times last year, and he has only scored more than eight touchdowns once in his career. Also, Smith is now 34 years old, and Father Time will catch up to the speedy Smith eventually. However, we have seen little evidence of decline thus far, and he could be in for more touchdowns as Newton develops as a passer. Smith is a solid WR2 and someone who is one of the lower risk options at receiver.
1. Cam Newton
Newton has been wildly productive from a fantasy standpoint in his first two pro seasons, totaling 7,920 yards passing and 40 touchdowns to go with 1,447 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground. He is already one of the best running quarterbacks in league history, and the Panthers love to call designed runs to make use of his skills. Newton has one major flaw, however. He is extremely turnover prone, and he threw 12 interceptions and fumbled 10 times last season. The interceptions total was actually a big improvement from his rookie season and was a respectable number. The fumbles, on the other hand, killed owners with repeated point deductions. If Newton can cut back on the turnovers, his value will increase significantly.
Newton took a small step back as passer last season, but that was because he was continuing to learn the offense instead of relying on check downs and scrambles. He will improve through the air and better production there to go with his elite rushing stats makes him a top 5 player at his position. Newton may give owners a headache once in a while, but you can’t do much better at quarterback in fantasy.
Greg Sulik is a New York Jets writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @GregSulik or add him to your network on Google
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