Curtis Samuel (WR, CAR) - Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: Things haven't been going well for the Carolina Panthers in their attempt to take a hold of the NFC wild card spot, but the heightened play of Curtis Samuel amidst an uptick in on-the-field opportunity has been a recent bright spot. The Panthers and offensive coordinator Norv Turner have deployed Samuel in a variety of situations so far through 2018. In ten games this season he has caught 29 passes out of 44 targets from Cam Newton for 364 yards and four touchdowns, while also receiving six attempts out of the backfield for 76 yards and two touchdowns, while also being the team's primary kick-off returner with 209 yards gained in ten returns. However, the last two weeks have seen Greg Olsen out of the game or significantly inhibited by his foot injury, and Samuel has taken great advantage of the presented opportunity.

Since the start of week 13 against Tampa Bay, Samuel has averaged five receptions out of 9.5 targets for 84 yards per contest, and while he didn't score a touchdown over that period of time he did receive a carry that went for eight yards. While Christian McCaffrey is still the top option for the Panthers, Samuel is quickly climbing the ladder to a more prominent role in the offense. While players like D.J. Moore and Devin Funchess remain strong factors on the field, Samuel has surpassed both of them over the past couple of weeks in total targets, receptions, and receiving yards. The increase in looks from Newton may detract a little bit from the creative ways in which they use Samuel, but with the amount of attention he has gotten in the red-zone this season it is more-than alright to trade some creative plays for high-consistency targets. When Olsen is out, Samuel may be the new number-two option, so that makes him an excellent option for the rest of the regular season.