The 2014 Carolina Panthers finished the year with a losing record despite winning a playoff game. Not many NFL teams can--or will ever be able to--make the same dubious claim. But in fairness, the team faced a lot of challenges:
This year Cam is getting the hype he might deserve, with a QB ADP of 6. Although I like him as a top 10 QB and love him as a top 14 QB, the top 6 is too optimistic. He simply doesn't have the weapons to amass much more than 3,500 passing yards and around 25 passing TDs. And while his rushing numbers should improve, those hoping for a return to his rookie season's production (14 rushing TDs) will be greatly disappointed.
When he got the chance to start last season, Stewart showed he deserved to get 20+ carries per game for the Panthers. But for many other teams, I'm not so sure. That's no knock on Stewart's skills, but rather on his durability. He couldn't stay healthy in 2012 or in 2013 and hasn't rushed more than 178 times in a season since 2009. As a featured back, he's a liability at his current #22 RB ADP. Predicting an average of 12-14 rushes per game for about 40-60 yards, plus a handful (four or five) TDs. That is, if he stays healthy.
Kelvin Benjamin is well placed at his #14 WR ADP. He should build on last year's success, with plenty of WR1 performances to keep fantasy owners content. WR Devin Funchess is a name to watch this preseason. If he earns a starting gig in two or even three-wideout sets, he should easily earn his current #71 WR ADP placement.
Meanwhile, the often reliable Greg Olsen (#4 TE ADP) is in his prime. I'm not confident he'll equal last year's career-high 1,008 yards--and therefore believe he's slightly overvalued--but he should be a solid top 8 TE.
- Cam Newton's offseason ankle surgery. The franchise QB finished the year with career lows in rushing yards and rushing TDs.
- Leaning too heavily for too long on the fading 31-year-old DeAngelo Williams, which hampered drives that his longstanding heir-apparent, Jonathan Stewart, could have prolonged.
- Not having a reliable third receiving option (Jericho Cotchery doesn't cut it).
- This might not be fair, but as great as Kelvin Benjamin was, he was still a rookie, and experienced some growing pains, including tying for the league lead in dropped passes (10).
This year Cam is getting the hype he might deserve, with a QB ADP of 6. Although I like him as a top 10 QB and love him as a top 14 QB, the top 6 is too optimistic. He simply doesn't have the weapons to amass much more than 3,500 passing yards and around 25 passing TDs. And while his rushing numbers should improve, those hoping for a return to his rookie season's production (14 rushing TDs) will be greatly disappointed.
When he got the chance to start last season, Stewart showed he deserved to get 20+ carries per game for the Panthers. But for many other teams, I'm not so sure. That's no knock on Stewart's skills, but rather on his durability. He couldn't stay healthy in 2012 or in 2013 and hasn't rushed more than 178 times in a season since 2009. As a featured back, he's a liability at his current #22 RB ADP. Predicting an average of 12-14 rushes per game for about 40-60 yards, plus a handful (four or five) TDs. That is, if he stays healthy.
Kelvin Benjamin is well placed at his #14 WR ADP. He should build on last year's success, with plenty of WR1 performances to keep fantasy owners content. WR Devin Funchess is a name to watch this preseason. If he earns a starting gig in two or even three-wideout sets, he should easily earn his current #71 WR ADP placement.
Meanwhile, the often reliable Greg Olsen (#4 TE ADP) is in his prime. I'm not confident he'll equal last year's career-high 1,008 yards--and therefore believe he's slightly overvalued--but he should be a solid top 8 TE.