X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

2016 Player vs. Player - Aaron Rodgers vs. Cam Newton

It's never too early to start preparing for your fantasy football drafts, and Rotoballer is here to help! In this series, two RotoBaller experts will discuss the merits of two players with similar value and average draft position (ADP). Remember that situations will change for all players over the course of the summer and it may impact where they are selected in drafts.

Our next article comes from featured writers Pierre Camus (@pfunk00) and Kane Green (@NovaKaneSports). Kane defends perennial Pro Bowl QB Aaron Rodgers in his attempt to rebound from what would qualify as a sub-par season only for him, while Pierre is on the side of reigning MVP Cam Newton.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller offers the best Premium MLB Subscription - only $1.99 per week. All the tools you need to help win your seasonal and daily leagues: Hitter & Pitcher Streamers, Matchup Ratings for every player, Under-the-Radar Surgers for AVG, HR, Ks, plus daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids. 

Editor's Note: Stay on top of your draft prep with RotoBaller’s fantasy football rankings, featuring expert analysis, ADPs, and draft insights for both PPR and non-PPR leagues.

 

Aaron Rodgers vs. Cam Newton

Admittedly, it would be hard to go wrong with either Cam Newton or Aaron Rodgers in your QB slot. However, as fantasy writers, it is our duty to perform exhaustive analysis of their pros and cons, so that you, the reader, can make the best decision possible in this year’s draft. Let’s get started!

 

TD/INT ratio

Kane: There is no doubt that Cam has the potential to put up huge numbers, but one of the primary categories I look at when drafting a quarterback is the ability to avoid turnovers. Taking that into consideration, there is no better pick than Aaron Rodgers. In the past two seasons, Rodgers has 13 combined interceptions. To put that in perspective, 11 starting quarterbacks had that many interceptions, or more, in 2015 alone. Add the fact that he has thrown 38 or more TD in three of the last five seasons (remember, he only played nine games in 2013) and that makes for a surefire fantasy bet.

Pierre: Avoiding turnovers is a big asset, especially in leagues that penalize players with negative points. That alone isn't a deciding factor when drafting a top-flight quarterback as early as the third round. If so, Alex Smith would be a #1 pick in fantasy as well. TD/INT ratio is more telling statistic and, despite a few more turnovers, Newton should be prioritized. He produced more combined touchdowns last year than any other QB (hence the MVP award), while throwing just ten interceptions. He has lowered his interceptions in three of the past four seasons down to 10 in 2016. Look more closely and you'll notice he only threw one pick in the second half of the season, showcasing his progress. Newton may not touch double-digit INT this season, narrowing the gap between him and Rodgers in this category.

 

Impact of Primary Target Returning

Kane: Quarterbacks are only as good as their primary weapons, and Rodgers has some great receiving reads to go through. In 2015, Rodgers had one of the worst seasons of his career. Arguably the biggest reason for this was the absence of his favorite target, Jordy Nelson. This left Randall Cobb to face the bulk of the coverage, and Rodgers had to force it to his less established receivers instead. Between 2013 and 2014 seasons, Nelson had 2,833 receiving yards, and 21 TDs. Needless to say, it will only help Rodgers’ 2016 outlook.

Pierre: Newton also returns his best receiver, third-year 1st rounder Kelvin Benjamin. Unlike the 31 year-old Nelson, Benjamin is just 25 and entering the all-important third year as an NFL receiver. In his rookie season, before Newton's breakout, Benjamin already put up 1,008 YD and nine TD. Just think what he is capable of producing this season. The 6'5", 250 lb behemoth will make an enormous red zone threat and ease the pressure off of Cam from having to spread the ball around to lesser receivers.

 

Receiving Depth

Kane: In addition to Rodgers’ two prime time receivers, he also has extreme depth to fall back on if one of his receivers gets hurt. Not only will Cobb and Nelson be pulling down their share of receptions, but Davante Adams will be looking to regain the trust that he lost in 2015, and will no longer be under the pressure of supporting the offense. Don’t forget the promising youngsters Ty Montgomery and Jared Abbrederis, and Jared Cook’s backup at the tight end position, Richard Rodgers. All of these guys have the talent to start on a lot of NFL teams, and are in a position where they can develop as playmakers. In comparison, Cam Newton has… Corey Brown and Stephen Hill?

Pierre: Sure, the Packers have more players qualified to fight for the glory of the third or fourth receiver job, the Panthers probably have a more talented starting group. Benjamin aside, Devin Funchess is a second-rounder primed to break out in his sophomore season in a way that Davante Adams couldn't do last year. Ted Ginn is capable of taking it to the house every time he touches the ball (when he doesn't drop it, that is). Ed Dickson is a quality backup tight end and frankly, Greg Olsen is worth more than two Jared Cooks anyway.

 

Coaching Philosophies

Kane: With the rule changes regarding the point after touchdown, a lot of teams are looking more closely at going for two instead of kicking the extra point. Coach Mike McCarthy was recently quoted as saying that he would have “zero issue” with the Packers ramping up their two-point attempts in 2016. Even with Eddie Lacy leaning out in the offseason, the Packers would still need to mix it up if they want to keep defenses off balance. It isn’t like they aren’t already good at it. In 2015, Green Bay ranked second in successful two point conversions, completing four out of their eight tries. Aaron Rodgers would likely see a few QB sneaks, and some short dump passes, resulting in extra two extra fantasy points on top of Rodgers’ consistently impressive weekly lines.

Pierre: While Rodgers may get the chance to chip in an extra two points more frequently, Newton will be cashing in six with his legs. I don't have to tell you (but I will anyway) that Newton is the best running QB in the league and maybe the best dual-threat ever. He ran for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns just last season. He has put up 43 rushing TD in his first five seasons - numbers that most running backs can be jealous of. Newton’s rushing value alone makes him top-10 QB and as valuable as most starting running backs. Most importantly, Coach Ron Rivera was quoted as saying Newton is “just scratching the surface of how good he can be” and believes he is a triple-threat. Words from a coach that don't sound like he will stop him from running with the ball any time soon.

 

Health

Kane: Cam’s legs are a crucial part of his game. All-in-all, he is a much bigger threat on the ground than Rodgers. I concede that. However, with the Panthers receiving core (with the obvious exception of Greg Olsen) still unproven, and an aging and injury-prone Jonathan Stewart lining up in the backfield, Cam may be forced to use his legs more often to make up yardage on third downs. This will not bode well for him this season. Apart from historical data reflecting sharp regression in mobile quarterbacks, defenses will be able to plan for his scampers, and shut them down early. Aaron Rodgers, on the other hand, will not have to use his legs, but, instead, will be able to use them as an accent to all of his other threats. This will keep him healthier, and able to make more plays through the air as the season progresses. No quarterback has a higher floor than Rodgers and he makes for a sure bet among early QB picks. Do you really want to risk injury or regression on a stud QB?

Pierre: True, Newton won't be able to scramble forever, but at age 27 it is a non-issue entering the 2016 season. Despite his hard-playing style, Newton has been remarkably healthy, playing in 78 of a possible 80 games in his career so far. Plus, the Panthers are one of just three teams that are returning the same offensive line that played together for the majority of last season. They will continue to keep defenders off his back and open running lanes for him to dart through. His Super Bowl experience, increased maturity, and motivation after losing the big game will only make him hungrier if anything. There is always risk involved with a QB like Newton, but he has arguably the highest ceiling than any player in the entire league. You can play it safe, but fantasy championships aren't won by making a bunch of safe picks, are they?

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Stefon Diggs

Likely to Begin Camp Working on the Side
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Xavier Legette

Should be More Productive
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Cole Bishop

has Good Shot to Win a Starting Job
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Nate Wiggins

Ravens Think Nate Wiggins has Star Potential
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Quinshon Judkins

More Details Emerge on Quinshon Judkins' Arrest
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kaden Elliss

Could be Atlanta's Most Impactful Pass-Rusher
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Darius Robinson

Ready to Make his Mark in 2025?
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Report for Training Camp
Trey Smith

the Only Player Still on the Franchise Tag
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Jauan Jennings

Seeking New Deal or Trade From 49ers
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF