Carolina is on a bye this week. Week 5 marks the second week of the annual rotation that sees several teams sit one out. With that in mind I'm going to focus on which Panthers won't be playing and who to replace them with. These guys could also make good long term additions to your roster if you're looking for a little extra help down the stretch.
Cam Newton:
'You always start Cam!' unless Cam isn't playing. While Ace 1 Boogie will be sitting it out Sunday in preparation for the Seattle Showdown in week 6, there's still plenty of o overlooked overachievers at the position. Surprisingly, Carson Palmer is still getting little love in the fantasy realm. Despite being one bad pass away from going 4 - 0 for the second straight year, his ability to put up the numbers has been ignored by many owners. Quick poll: Who has the most TDs through the first four weeks of the season? Aaron Rodgers. (he has 11)....but who's right behind him? Carson Palmer with 10 TDs this season. If he's there, you could do a lot worse than starting the fastest gun in the west. I'd also target Andy Dalton, who is still getting it done to the tune of 9 TDs and a 67% completion rate.
Jonathan Stewart:
Less than stellar is the only way I can describe J-Stew so far this year. Where the blame lies (the O-Line, Stewart, blockers) is debatable, yet the facts remain, Stewart has failed to produce much of anything so far this season. including zero touchdowns so far. Cameron Artis-Payne made a few good rushes against Tampa Bay but I wouldn't expect to see him in the regular rotation anytime soon. That being said, one week replacements for those still starting Stewart could turn into a welcome surprise and much needed producer of missing fantasy points. Duke Johnson looks ready to fill that role after two impressive weeks with the Browns. He's fast becoming a key part of their offense which has, honestly not much else going on. For those that swung early on high risk Todd Gurley, he pulled down an impressive 155 yards on 25 attempts in a win over the Cardinals. He could make a good waiver wire pickup this week.
Greg Olsen:
Greg Olsen is a leader on the Panthers team including the most reliable receiver. Unfortunately, his fantasy stock relies on constant receptions which is not his most frequent role. While he's busy ensuring the Panthers get much needed Ws any way possible, frustrated fantasy owners are forced to look elsewhere for points. It's an ok problem to have as long as you're a Carolina fan. In his place it just so turns out that Antonio Gates is returning from his PED suspension for week 5. A late start for a much needed presence in San Diego, with Phillip Rivers playing balls out, Antonio should see plenty of targets in coming weeks. Now is the best to time to grab him before the numbers start stacking up. If Gates is off the board, former Panther Gary Barnidge has been showing flashes in Cleveland. (What's going on in Cleveland?)
Josh Norman:
Josh Norman is making a case for DPOY in a big way. With 4 interceptions in four games, fantasy owners are loving this pick up. (I told you to pick him up.) With Lake Norman sitting out there's a need for point scoring DBs. Tyrann Mathieu and his honey badger persona are still lighting it up in Arizona. With two interceptions against San Francisco, and a respectable showing against St. Louis, Mathieu is a quality starter for IDP leagues needing help in the secondary.