Super Cam may need to run, run and run some more to earn his fantasy points this season. That may prove difficult on a surgically repaired ankle. Let someone else run the risk drafting Cam as their starter. Photo: Icon Sportswire

Data as of June 26 | Current Cheatsheets | Current Projections

NR = Not ranked

QB Cam Newton

Newton has been a revelation for the Panthers over the first three years of his career as well as for his fantasy owners, landing in the Top 5 at quarterback since being taken 1st overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. However, he is trending downward as his fantasy PPG have dropped from 27.6 to 24.5 to 22.5 last season and his prognosis for 2014 is more of the same. With the Panthers having lost their top three receivers in Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn Jr., Newton will be relying on new weapons in the form of veterans Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant as well as 1st round pick Kelvin Benjamin. Have we mentioned yet that he had surgery in March on his ankle? There are plenty of red flags here and fantasy owners should be viewing Newton as a boom or bust proposition in 2014. Given the team’s issues at wide receiver, Newton will need to amp up his production as a runner and, while he has proven capable of that during his first three years in the league (2,034 yards and 28 touchdowns), a surgically repaired ankle won’t help matters. With so many question marks at wide receiver, Newton’s status as a fantasy starter is on hiatus. Consider him an upper tier backup.

RB DeAngelo Williams

It’s been five long years since Williams posted career highs of 1,518 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns back in 2008. After another 1,000 yard season the following year, Williams has been unable to reach that plateau, averaging 805 rushing yards and five touchdowns from 2011-2013 (he missed ten games during the 2010 season). Since Williams has never established himself as an upper tier receiver and the Panthers have been content to have Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert handle those duties, his fantasy value rests largely on his ability to run the ball and find the end zone. And he just hasn’t put together enough big plays or had enough touches to be a solid fantasy option for too many years. While the Panthers will likely lean more heavily on their rushing attack in 2014, the team’s offensive line is in transition and, with a running back depth chart that goes three deep, we don’t expect Williams to come close to returning to his glory days. Since quarterback Cam Newton pilfers so many touchdowns, we don’t even consider Williams a RB3 with upside. He’s just a low end RB3 at this stage of his career and nothing more.

RB Jonathan Stewart

Offseason reports indicate that Stewart is back to full health and the Panthers are excited about having him on the field. Tell us if you’re heard that before. Unable to remain healthy and largely unproductive when he has been on the field, it is officially time to give up on the 2008 1st round draft pick. Stewart’s rushing yardage has dropped every year since he posted a career high 1,133 yards back in 2009, dropping to a career low 180 last season. While Stewart often played nicked up during the first four years of his career (missing just two games), he has missed 17 games over the past two season, averaging 3.7 yards per carry with one rushing touchdown. With major issues at wide receiver, we expect the Panthers to lean heavily on the running game in 2014. We just don’t expect that Stewart will turn that opportunity into production. He is nothing more than a late round flier at the tender age of 27.

RB Mike Tolbert

After averaging over 10 PPG during his final two seasons in San Diego, Tolbert’s first two years in Carolina have been a bit of a disappointment. With quarterback Cam Newton pilfering touchdowns from all of the Carolina running backs, Tolbert has found the end zone seven times in each of his last two seasons after scoring 21 times during the 2010-11 seasons. Since we don’t anticipate that changing in 2014, Tolbert will once again be a decent waiver option in larger leagues depending, of course, on the health of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

WR Kelvin Benjamin

Having released Steve Smith and failing to re-sign veteran free agents Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina used its 1st round pick in this year’s draft to acquire Florida State’s Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin possesses solid speed and outstanding size at 6’4 and 240 pounds, skills that made him a touchdown machine in college (15 scores in 2013). Unfortunately, the Panthers have some major holes to fill at wide receiver and Benjamin rates as a work in progress in terms of his ability to run a full route tree. Look for the Panthers to utilize him on short slants, go patterns and on jump balls in the red zone early in the season. A solid option in dynasty formats, Benjamin is waiver wire material in re-draft formats barring a solid preseason.

WR Jerricho Cotchery

A funny thing happened after Cotchery spent three years as a complete afterthought for fantasy purposes. He became relevant again last season during his third year as a Pittsburgh Steeler, catching 46 passes for 602 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. Recognizing that his resurgence was likely a one and done scenario, Pittsburgh did little to re-sign him in the offseason. Cotchery landed in Carolina with a chance to emerge as the Panthers top wide receiver due to the departure of Steve Smith. At 32 years of age, we’re going to side with the Steelers on this one and make the prediction that his production last season won’t be replicated in 2014. Since Cotchery no longer has the speed and agility to gain consistent separation, his upside is likely in the 50 reception, 600 yard range, making him dependent on touchdowns to have any fantasy value. With tight end Greg Olsen and rookie 1st round pick Kelvin Benjamin solid receiving options in the red zone, and quarterback Cam Newton a beast running the ball in the red zone, we’re not even sure Cotchery can catch half of his ten touchdowns from a year ago. Grab him off the wire if you need an option in standard 12 team leagues.

WR Tiquan Underwood

After a couple of seasons spent mainly working out of the slot in Tampa Bay, Underwood takes his talents to the Panthers in 2014. He is coming off a career year in 2013 after posting 24 receptions for 440 yards and four touchdowns. While Underwood possesses some playmaking ability, averaging 16.6 yards per reception while scoring six touchdowns on just 52 receptions over the past two years, his main issue is that he doesn’t catch a high percentage of his targets considering that he is used mostly as a slot receiver. He hauled in just 53.3% of his targets last season after working at a 50.9% clip in 2012. At 27 years of age, we aren’t about to predict a breakout season for Underwood in 2014 even taking into consideration his lack of competition for targets amongst the Panthers group of wide receivers.

WR Jason Avant

After eight solid yet unspectacular years in Philadelphia, Avant was handed his walking papers this past offseason, landing on his feet with the Panthers. In Carolina, Avant will battle with rookie 1st round pick Kelvin Benjamin, Jerricho Cotchery and Tiquan Underwood for a spot in the starting line up. We expect the Panthers will line up Cotchery at one outside receiver spot and Underwood is likely the favorite to work out of the slot, leaving Avant fighting Benjamin for the final position. Unfortunately, Avant spent most of his time in Philadelphia working out of the slot and he is unlikely to supplant the younger, speedier Underwood for that role. At 31 years of age, Avant’s upside is something in the range of 50 receptions (his career high is 53) and 550 yards (career high of 679) and a couple of touchdowns (just four in the last four seasons). Don’t litter your fantasy squad with the Jason Avants of the NFL.

TE Greg Olsen

During the last two seasons, Olsen has been remarkably consistent, with his yardage total decreasing slightly (843 to 816) and his touchdowns increasing by one (five to six). That gives Olsen six straight seasons with between five and eight touchdowns. While Olsen probably isn’t a threat to emerge as a top 3 or 4 fantasy tight end, he rates just below that level given the dearth of solid wide receivers that quarterback Cam Newton will be throwing to in 2014. With a trio of journeymen and rookie 1st round pick Kelvin Benjamin lining up outside, Olsen should see an uptick from the career high 109 targets he had in 2013. It’s also worth noting that after averaging 5.6 targets per game during the Panthers first nine games, Olsen saw his usage increase, averaging 8.4 targets from Week 11-17. While he isn’t the most exciting option at tight end, Olsen should provide solid value and production this coming season.