It’s Fantasy Football time once again. Let’s take a look at our Carolina Panthers players and see how they are being viewed by the Fantasy Football community.
Cam Newton
Average Draft Position: 17.5
Ranking: QB1
Cam Newton is a fantasy stud. He’s finished in the Top 5 in fantasy points every year he’s been in the NFL with the exception of the injury plagued 2014 season.
While a mid-second round pick is a high price to pay for a fantasy QB, when you look at last year’s production, Cam Newton gave owners a 2 point per game weekly advantage over the 2nd ranked QB, Tom Brady, and a whopping 6 point weekly advantage over the 10th ranked QB, Phillip Rivers.
Despite the Preseason Game 3 dress rehearsal, which was an unmitigated disaster, Cam Newton should, and most likely will be the first QB off the board.
My QB Fantasy Rankings
Rank | Player |
1 | Cam Newton (CAR) |
2 | Aaron Rodgers (GB) |
3 | Russell Wilson (SEA) |
4 | Drew Brees (NO) |
5 | Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) |
6 | Andrew Luck (IND) |
7 | Carson Palmer (ARZ) |
8 | Tom Brady (NE) |
9 | Eli Manning (NYG) |
10 | Matthew Stafford (DET) |
Jonathan Stewart
ADP: 35.5
Ranking: RB13
Stew is a good running back. But, his health concerns and lack of touchdown production is of major concern to fantasy football owners. He’s being drafted as a high end RB2, and while he did finish as the 16th fantasy RB last year, players coming back from injury, rookies and backs who will now get a shot at being a bell cow RB due to off-season moves should move Stewart down the list. I’d much prefer to draft Stewart as a solid flex option rather than as a weekly RB2.
My RB Fantasy Rankings
Rank | Player |
1 | Todd Gurley (LA) |
2 | Ezekiel Elliott (DAL) |
3 | David Johnson (ARZ) |
4 | Adrian Peterson (MIN) |
5 | Lamar Miller (HOU) |
6 | Jamaal Charles (KC) |
7 | Doug Martin (TB) |
8 | LeVeon Bell (PIT) |
9 | Lesean McCoy (BUF) |
10 | Devonta Freeman (ATL) |
11 | Eddie Lacy (GB) |
12 | Carlos Hyde (SF) |
13 | Mark Ingram (NO) |
14 | Thomas Rawls (SEA) |
15 | CJ Anderson (DEN) |
21 | Jonathan Stewart (CAR) |
Kelvin Benjamin
ADP: 54.3
Ranking: WR24
Kelvin Benjamin is one of the hardest players to rank in fantasy football this year. His sample size is only one year. While he had a remarkable year for a rookie, we all know he sat out the entire season last year with a torn ACL. He’s looked a tad slow, and a tad out of shape so far this season, but he’s never going to win with speed. He’s a mammoth possession receiver and red zone threat. I’d be comfortable selecting Benjamin as a weekly flex option with TD appeal, but it’s hard to pull the trigger any earlier due to the fact he’s highly unlikely to see another 140+ targets this year.
Devin Funchess
ADP: 120.4
Ranking: WR46
Funchess had a slow start to his rookie year last year, but showed flashes of good things to come late last season. By all accounts he’s had an outstanding off-season and could push Benjamin as the most targeted receiver this season. His ADP started out this fantasy season as undrafted, as many owners thought Benjamin would be the clear cut receiver to own from the Panthers, however, astute fantasy players are reading the reports on Funchess’ progress and he is now being drafted as high as the 7-9 round range. He’s well worth a selection around round 10, for upside alone, and could be a major steal if he continues to outplay all other Panthers receivers not named Olsen.
Ted Ginn Jr.
ADP: Undrafted
Ranking: WR53
Ginn busted out in 2015 with 10 TD’s and finished the fantasy season as the 25th ranked WR. Aberration? Absolutely. Ginn is owned in less than 20% of standard leagues but he still has some fantasy value if you happen to play in a Best Ball league, because as we saw a couple of weeks ago, he can take one to the house at any time.
My WR Fantasy Rankings
Rank | Player |
1 | Antonio Brown (PIT) |
2 | Odell Beckham, Jr. (NYG) |
3 | Julio Jones (ATL) |
4 | AJ Green (CIN) |
5 | Deandre Hopkins (HOU) |
6 | Brandon Marshall (NYJ) |
7 | Allen Robinson (JAX) |
8 | Alshon Jeffrey (CHI) |
9 | Jordy Nelson (GB) |
10 | Keenan Allen (SD) |
11 | Dez Bryant (DAL) |
12 | Brandon Cooks (NO) |
13 | Larry Fitzgerald (ARZ) |
14 | Mike Evans (TB) |
15 | Sammy Watkins (BUF) |
25 | Kelvin Benjamin (CAR) |
34 | Devin Funchess (CAR) |
Greg Olsen
ADP: 42.2
Ranking: TE3
In 2015, Olsen was second in targets of all Tight Ends, and parlayed that into a 4th place finish among TE’s. He was tackled on the 1 or 2 yard line about 15 times it seemed like, so it could have been much better. The prospects haven’t changed for the upcoming season and another solid Top 5 season should be obtainable.
My TE Fantasy Rankings
Rank | Player |
1 | Rob Gronkowski (NE) |
2 | Jordan Reed (WAS) |
3 | Delanie Walker (TEN) |
4 | Greg Olsen (CAR) |
5 | Travis Kelce (KC) |
6 | Coby Fleener (IND) |
7 | Gary Barnidge (CLE) |
8 | Zack Ertz (PHI) |
9 | Tyler Eifert (CIN) |
10 | Antonio Gates (SD) |
Panthers D/ST
ADP: 90.1
Rankings: D/ST 3
The Panthers D/ST finished 4th in fantasy points last year. The Front 7 should be as stout or better this season. The unknown lies in the secondary. We can probably expect the sack totals to go up a bit, and the INT’s to come down a bit, and the Points Allowed to go up a bit, but the Panthers are still a Top 10 fantasy defense and a weekly must start for the coming season. I’m just not sure they are worth a 9th-10th round pick.
My D/ST Fantasy Rankings
Rank | Team |
1 | Denver |
2 | Seattle |
3 | Kansas City |
4 | Carolina |
5 | Cincinnati |
6 | Houston |
7 | Arizona |
8 | Minnesota |
9 | Oakland |
10 | New England |
So Panthers fans, do you agree with how the rest of the nation are viewing our beloved Carolina Panthers skill players? Any players being over-drafted? Under-drafted?
Let’s us know what you think?