Can Cam Newton be a QB1 in fantasy on Patriots offense?

If Cam Newton is healthy, can he your QB1 in fantasy football this year?

We had a feeling this would happen, but we didn’t know for sure until Sunday night. The New England Patriots have a new quarterback in their building, and no, he didn’t come to Foxborough via the 2020 NFL Draft. Former NFL MVP of the Carolina Panthers Cam Newton is playing for New England on a one-year, prove-it deal with an opportunity to compete for the starting job.

The Fantasy Footballers like Newton’s upside obviously if he does win the starting job and plays a full 16-game season with the Patriots. While Andy Holloway has Newton as his QB20 on his fantasy football draftboard, his colleague Mike Wright has him coming in at QB12. Wright’s ranking is significant because it means he believes he’s a QB1 in any league. Is Wright right?

Check out The Fantasy Footballers for all their advice

Though one may argue the Patriots have very little offensive weapons to work with, when did that stop Newton winning NFL MVP on the 2015 Panthers? Greg Olsen was at his peak as a tight end, but the receiving corps Newton had to work with in Charlotte wasn’t all that much better than what he’ll inherit in Foxborough five years later. He can make chicken salad out of chicken mess.

Is Cam Newton a certain QB1 in fantasy on the 2020 New England Patriots?

While Newton has never been known for his accuracy as a passer, his 2018 campaign showed signs of great progress for him in that part of his game. What’s even better is he’ll be playing in Josh McDaniels’ offense, a scheme that likes to use the short passing game to effectively work as a running game. Newton can still air it out, but we might see a more efficient Newton than before.

Of course, we’re always going to want to see Newton run the ball. When his team has the lead and he’s in the red zone, you know he’s taking it to the house, hitting the Superman or the dab and then handing that touchdown football to a kid wearing his jersey in the stands. However, Newton is coming off a serious Lisfranc injury that cost him his final 14 games as a Panther last season.

So is Newton a QB1 in fantasy football this year? Let’s pump the brakes initially and see if he makes the team first. Should he make the 2020 Patriots roster, one would believe he’d win the starting job over veteran Brian Hoyer and fellow Auburn Tigers standout Jarrett Stidham. Newton is a top-half quarterback in the league today, but may not be a sure-fire QB1 in fantasy just yet.