Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Either you love Cam Newton or you hate him.
It’s as simple as that.
But whether you love the guy or not, Newton has been an elite fantasy signal caller. During his first three seasons in the league, Cam has posted two top-five finishes, while placing 6th among quarterbacks in 2013. He’s improved on his passer rating in each of his first three seasons, and continues to grow as a pocket passer, coming off a career-high 24 touchdown passes. And, of course, we know what this guy can do with his legs, rushing for 2,032 yards and 28 touchdowns so far. He’s been fourth and in fantasy points per game over the last three years, behind the big three at quarterback, but is this the year he tails off?
Positives
Newton has unmatched upside at the quarterback position. Like I said, only Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have averaged more fantasy points per game over the last three seasons than Cam. While there are a handful of passers that take off and run, none do it like Cam. He runs with power and speed, and his huge frame allows him to take hits that other mobile quarterbacks can’t withstand. He is going to run the ball a ton this season when you consider the lack of weapons in the passing game, and the Panthers have ranked inside the top-12 in rushing attempts per game over the last two years, so you know they’ll be running a lot in 2014.
Negatives
It’s blatantly obvious. After losing Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell, Carolina has the worst receiving corp in football, and it’s not all that close. Their number one wideout is a guy who has yet to play an NFL down in rookie Kelvin Benjamin, who is big, but extremely raw. Cam will also be throwing to older guys like Jericho Cotchery (32) and Jason Avant (31). Tight end Greg Olsen is a viable target, but other than that, it’s pretty ugly in Carolina. I don’t think we’ll be seeing Cam throwing 24 touchdowns again this season, but perhaps he tries to take off an run more, which would be good for his value, seeing as attempts have decreased from last season.
Final Verdict
Cam is still going to be a top-10 fantasy quarterback, but it’d be foolish to believe that his value doesn’t take a hit after a terrible offseason. I would draft seven or eight passers ahead of Newton for 2014, but I’m not saying don’t draft this guy at all. Everyone has value, and if others in your league let Cam fall because of his weapons (or lack there of), perhaps you can snag him at a discounted price.
Bye Week: 12
Projected Round: 5
Auction Value: $17 (via ESPN)
