RADIO
2017 is an odd year, which means the Carolina Panthers should be good. They've improved their win total by at least four games in each odd year of the Ron Rivera era. The Panthers are 27-5 in the past two odd years.
While the odd/even year theory is most likely just coincidence, it's hard to imagine the Panthers don't have a rebound year. They have too much talent on the offensive side of the ball to be as abysmal as they were last year. The Panthers should look more like their 2015 selves if the man under center can return to form.
Here's a look at what the Carolina Panthers' skill position players will offer fantasy football owners in 2017.
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Carolina Panthers 2017 Outlook
Offseason Moves
Notable Acquisitions: RB Christian McCaffrey, WR Curtis Samuel, WR Charles Johnson, WR Russell Shepard, SS Mike Adams, DE Julius Peppers, CB Captain Munnerlyn, CB Corn Elder
Notable Losses: WR Ted Ginn, FB Mike Tolbert, WR Philly Brown, OT Michael Oher, DT Paul Soliai
Quarterback
Cam Newton was the most disappointing fantasy quarterback in 2016. Coming off an MVP season, the dual-threat quarterback responded by posting career lows in rushing stats across the board and a career low in completion percentage. What can we expect from RotoBaller's ninth ranked quarterback now?
Cam Newton is one of the most physically gifted athletes the game has ever seen. He's already the all time rushing touchdown leader for quarterbacks in the Super Bowl Era. He's a 28 year old just one season removed from winning an MVP where leading all players in fantasy scoring. The offensive system from that season is still in place and the personnel around Newton has only improved. He has insane upside for a quarterback with an eighth-round ADP.
One last stat on Cam Newton: his three Pro Bowl appearances came in 2011, 2013, and 2015. All odd years.
Running Back
The Panthers used the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to bring in Stanford sensation Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey posted over 6,000 all purpose yards in his final two years with the Cardinal. He's an extremely talented running back with a bright future and an undeniable top-five pick in rookie drafts, but his third round ADP in standard drafts is a bit steep for someone who hasn't taken an NFL snap.
The Panthers haven't produced a 1,000 yard rusher since both Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams did it in 2009. Jonathan Stewart is still a part of this team. The Panthers offense is at it's best when they run with a three-headed attack of Newton and two backs. Stewart has always been the second head, with Williams and Mike Tolbert also being in the fold during the Newton era. McCaffrey is the favorite to lead the team in carries and yards, but Stewart isn't going anywhere, and Newton is likely to get goal line carries.
Taking McCaffrey in the third round is a risk for a guy that's likely to split carries in 2o17. Stewart on the other hand has an eighth-round ADP. He's going to get touches and he makes for a solid RB3 in his current draft spot.
Wide Receiver
Kelvin Benjamin's 2016 seems more disappointing than it actually was. Despite scoring four touchdowns in the final 14 games, Benjamin still finished the year as the 20th-ranked receiver in standard leagues. He only had 63 receptions, but the volume was still there as he was targeted 118 times. He hasn't been replaced as the number one receiver and number two option in the passing game in Carolina. He's a prime candidate for a rebound year. He has a late fifth-round ADP and I expect him to emerge as a solid WR2.
Should Benjamin end up being replaced as the top option in the passing game, it would likely be by Devin Funchess, another big target in Carolina's offense. But Funchess has had hype each of the last two years and failed to have any fantasy relevance in either season. He's not worth drafting at this point in time.
The wildcard in the Panther's passing game is rookie Curtis Samuel, a second round pick out of Ohio State. Samuel played both running back and receiver at OSU and is an offensive weapon in every sense of the word. He's the favorite to step into Tedd Ginn's role in the offense and on special teams. Ginn posted 98 receptions for 1,491 yards and 14 touchdowns over the past two years. If Samuel adjusts to the pro game quickly, he could have a big impact on the Panthers offense this year. He's worth keeping an eye out for on the waiver wire and a potential sleeper in rookie drafts.
Tight End
What more needs to be said about Greg Olsen? Cam Newton's favorite target has had over 1,000 yards each of the last three seasons. Even in Carolina's down year last season, Olsen finished second in standard scoring among tight ends. He has a fifth-round ADP, which is good value for a guy locked in as a high-end TE1 this season.
Kicker
Graham Gano finished 14th in kicker scoring in 2016, and is currently the 14th kicker being selected in 2017 drafts. He's a solid upside kicker for owners banking on the improvement of the Panthers offense.
Defense / Special Teams
The Panthers defense finished ninth overall in fantasy scoring in 2016 despite regressing from a dominant 2015 campaign. While the personnel is more or less the same, the loss of defensive coordinator Sean McDermott may hurt this defense. McDermott's defensive backs coach Steve Wilks takes over as the DC, his first time ever in the role in the NFL. The Panthers open the season with a great matchup against the 49ers, but play in one of the most dangerous offensive divisions in football in addition to having to face the Patriots and Packers. Owners looking to stream defenses should draft the Panthers late due to their Week 1 matchup, but they may not be a long term solution.
