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When the Carolina Panthers selected Kelvin Benjamin in the first round of the draft last year, I don’t think anyone was expecting just how good his rookie year would be. With 73 catches, 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns, Benjamin quickly became the Panthers’ best receiver and the long-awaited No. 1 receiver the team sorely needed.
Now, with a year of experience and solid chemistry with Cam Newton, Benjamin is poised to post huge numbers in 2015.
The beautiful part about Benjamin’s game is that he can make plays anywhere on the field in more ways than one. His 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame makes him lethal in the red zone. His speed may not break any records, but he’s plenty fast enough to get behind defenders. And I always feel kind of bad for any cornerback defending Benjamin in a jump-ball situation — he has excellent body control and very strong hands. What’s even crazier is that Benjamin could have had even better stats. There were some plays he left on the field, but it’s arguable that every player leaves plays on the field, particularly rookies.
As if Benjamin’s improvement wasn’t enough, the fact that the Panthers boosted the talent around him will make the wideout much more productive.
For the first time in a long time, the Panthers have a semi-respectable receiving corps. Jerricho Cotchery and Ted Ginn Jr. aren’t really starting-caliber players, but I like them a lot as depth guys. Second-round pick Devin Funchess is going to need a lot of work, but he’s got upside to be a great No. 2 option. Add those players into a mix that includes Benjamin and excellent tight end Greg Olsen, and it’s going to be really difficult to focus enough attention to neutralize Benjamin. This works so much in Benjamin’s favor, because they’re good enough to take the heat off him but not good enough to seriously take a lot of targets away from him. Newton’s going to pepper Benjamin all season long.
Projecting a 100-catch, 1,400-yard, 12-touchdown season out of Benjamin isn’t a stretch. He’s going to be Newton’s go-to guy regardless of down, distance or field position and is going to have plenty of opportunities to wreak havoc. As long as he can stay healthy, Benjamin is going to make fantasy owners and Panthers fans very, very happy in 2015. He’s going to be fun to watch.
Doug Green is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com covering the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL. Follow him on Twitter @DGreenNFL.
