Fantasy Football: Carolina Panthers 2015 Season Preview

Fantasy Football: Carolina Panthers 2015 Season Preview

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The Panthers finished last season with a 7-8-1 record while finishing 1^st in the NFC South Division. As an offensive unit the Panthers are very intriguing when it comes to their player’s fantasy production. Will Cam Newton finish in the top-10 of Quarterbacks? Will Kelvin Benjamin endure a sophomore slump? Will Jonathan Stewart experience another injury plagued season? All questions we must ask ourselves before selecting players from the Carolina Panthers in your fantasy drafts.

Quarterback

Cam Newton

Newton finished last season ranked 17^th among QBs in fantasy production with 331.25 points on the year averaging 23.66 fantasy points per game. Newton had 12 games where he scored 10 fantasy points or more, and he had 8 games where he scored 20 fantasy points or more. Newton missed 2 games last season due to injuries. Newton is going around the 6^th-7^th round in fantasy drafts with an ESPN ADP of 72.00, which is a good value compared to where he used to go in drafts during recent years. Newton is a candidate to finish in the top-12 this season, and he’s a very safe play, because he has an elevated ceiling due to his rushing production.

Running Back

Jonathan Stewart

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Stewart finished last season ranked 25^th among RBs with 147.50 fantasy points averaging 11.35 fantasy points per game. Stewart had 5 games where he scored 10 fantasy points or more, and 2 games where he scored 20 fantasy points or more. Stewart has the talent to be a very productive running back, but he is one of the most injury riddled running backs in the league. There’s a good chance that he will miss a few games during the season due to injuries. Stewart has an ESPN ADP of 45.8, which means he is being selected during the late 3^rd– early 4^th round in drafts. That is a hefty premium to pay for a running back that is highly like to experience injuries during the season. He’s a talented back, but if he’s in an out of your lineup during the season then you are not going to get the return on your investment.

Cameron Artis-Payne

You need to add Artis-Payne to your watch list. Stewart is highly likely to get injured during the season and Payne is going to be his backup. Payne isn’t super talented, but he has the ability to hang in the NFL as a 2-down running back. If you draft Stewart you may want to draft Payne as your handcuff.

Wide Receiver

Kelvin Benjamin

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Benjamin finished last season ranked 17^th among wide receivers in fantasy production with 228.80 fantasy points on the year averaging 14.30 fantasy points per game. Benjamin had 11 games where he scored 10 fantasy points or more, and he had 4 games where he scored 20 fantasy points or more. Benjamin is going in the 3^rd round of fantasy drafts with an ESPN ADP of 35.8. That is incredibly expensive for Benjamin. Even though Benjamin was a large contributor last season in fantasy production he was highly inefficient only catching 50.34% of his targets. Benjamin was very volume dependent last season, and if the volume isn’t there this year then his production could drop compared to last season. Benjamin might not be a bust this season, but the odds are highly like that he’s not going to give you the return on your investment if you draft him in the middle of the 3^rd round.

Devin Funchess

The Panthers selected Funchess in the 2^nd round of this year’s draft. Funchess is going to play wide receiver on the opposite side of Kelvin Benjamin, and he is a possible break out candidate this season. Funchess is going late in drafts around the 11^th-12^th round, and if you want to shoot for upside with your late round picks then Funchess is a player you should have your eye on. He is very similar to teammate Kelvin Benjamin, and if he develops chemistry with Cam Newton he could be a breakout rookie just like Benjamin was last year.

Tight End

Greg Olsen

Olsen finished 5^th last season in fantasy production with 222.30 fantasy points on the year averaging 13.89 points per game. Olsen had 11 games where he scored 10 fantasy points or more, and he had 4 games where he scored 20 fantasy points or more. Olsen is a solid selection for your fantasy team if you want a safe tight end with upside that you can start every week. Olsen’s ESPN ADP is 50.7 overall. That is a little more than what I would want to pay for a tight end, but if he falls into the 6^th round or later, then I wouldn’t be against drafting him, because you will be getting him at a discount.

Defense/Special Teams

The Panthers DST finished 19^th with 102 fantasy points on the year. They had 5 games where they scored 10 fantasy points or more. I like Carolina’s defense and I think they will be a very effective stream against favorable matchups this season.

Need help making roster decisions? Need help on who to pick off the waiver wire? Need an opinion on that trade offer that’s in your inbox? I’m your guy, follow me on Twitter @bmatz08, and I’ll give you the guidance you need to make the best choice for your fantasy team.

Next: Indianapolis Colts Season Preview

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