Divisional Round – Greg Olsen vs. Seattle
Greg Olsen didn’t do much against the Cardinals last week, as the Panthers tried desperately to live up to their sub-500 prowess on the season and lose to a third string quarterback. Alas, they emerged victorious over the insufferable Ryan Lindley and his two turnovers and 2.9 yard average yards per pass attempt. Olsen wound up with only 37 yards on three catches.
Olsen is still an elite guy, but he’s facing a brutal Seattle defense and the tight end spot is a bit crowded this week with guys like Rob Gronkowski and Julius Thomas back in the mix. Olsen should be considered a solid starter, but not elite this week and fantasy owners should try to lock up one of those other two guys if possible.
Wildcard Weekend – Greg Olsen vs. Arizona
Greg Olsen didn’t have to do much in a season finale that saw the Panthers destroy the Atlanta Falcons, and he wound up with only three targets and two receptions for 27 total yards. Olsen is an elite option, and fresh off his first career Pro Bowl selection, he’ll be looking to make some noise in the playoffs.
His first match comes against the Arizona Cardinals, who have an elite defense, but have struggled with injuries and covering the tight end this year. Olsen is a nice option every week for fantasy owners, but he’s especially solid this week with New England on a bye week. If you can use Olsen this week, it’s a good time to do it, and he occupies the top spot in our rankings for this weekend.
Week 17 – Greg Olsen vs. Atlanta
Greg Olsen had a tough game against the Browns last week, putting up only 21 yards on one catch. The Panthers relied on the running game instead to beat Cleveland and keep their playoff hopes alive.
This week, fresh off his first career Pro Bowl selection, Olsen will face a Falcons defense that has allowed more passing yards to opposing offenses than any other team in football. Despite a bad game last week, Olsen has had a great season, is an elite option, and has a nice matchup. He should be active in all leagues, and we have him as the second best TE on our board this week.
Week 16 – Greg Olsen vs. Cleveland
Greg Olsen had a nice day against the Bucs last week, as the Panthers kept their unconventional playoff hopes alive with a divisional victory. Olsen didn’t find the end zone, but he did catch 10 of 13 passes thrown his way and wound up with 110 yards.
This week, he faces a Browns defense that ranks 7th in the league against the pass, but he’s such a pivotal part of the Panthers’ passing offense that he should be active in all leagues regardless of his matchup. Olsen should be on his way to a Pro Bowl selection, and he should be in your lineup for championship Week 16.
Week 15 – Greg Olsen vs. Tampa Bay
Greg Olsen had another nice outing for the Panthers last week. He was targeted a team high 11 times and caught 10 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. The Carolina offense looked to be firing on all cylinders last week as they demolished the Saints, and it was good to see Olsen putting up big numbers again.
This week, Olsen faces a below average Bucs defense that has actually been decent against the tight end position. However, Olsen had 83 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay in Week 1 of the season, and he’s averaged 57.4 yards and 0.4 touchdowns against the Bucs over the past two years. Olsen should be active as a TE1 in all leagues.
Week 14 – Greg Olsen vs. New Orleans
Greg Olsen had five catches for 56 yards last week against the Vikings last week and was targeted eight times. He continues to be a key component on the Panthers offense, even though that offense has struggled for much of the season.
This week, Olsen has an excellent matchup against the struggling Saints, who rank 28th in passing yards allowed this season. He’s a must start in all league formats and remains the top tight end option outside of the elite guys. We have him as a top five start against New Orleans and fantasy owners who have been riding him all year should leave him in their lineups.
Week 13 – Greg Olsen vs. Minnesota
Greg Olsen had five catches for 61 yards against the Falcons two weeks ago and was targeted 11 times. He continues to be one of the best tight ends in football, albeit a notch below the Gronks and Grahams of the world.
This week, Olsen should be featured heavily once again, though he faces a Vikings defense that has shut down the TE position all season. Olsen is talented enough to overcome it though, and Minny may focus on Kelvin Benjamin more. Either way, Olsen should be active in all leagues week-to-week.
Week 11 – Greg Olsen vs. Atlanta
Greg Olsen continues to be productive, despite the Panthers’ offensive struggles. He finished last week with six catches on seven targets and had 119 yards. Olsen is the most consistent target Cam Newton has, and Cam uses him as a crutch.
This week, Olsen should have a great time against the abomination that is the Atlanta Falcons defense. They have looked awful this season, and have allowed 8.2 yards per pass attempt this season to opposing offenses. Only the Giants and the Bears have been worse. Olsen is a top five option and a must start in all leagues.
Week 10 – Greg Olsen vs. Philadelphia
Greg Olsen struggled along with the rest of the Panther offense last week against the Saints, and he ended up with only 30 yards on three receptions. Olsen remains an elite fantasy option however, and faces a Philadelphia pass defense this week that ranks 22nd in the league in passing yards allowed per game.
The Panthers have struggled massively on offense all season, but Olsen has still managed to put up solid numbers. The Eagles have been really good against the TE position so far this season, allowing only one touchdown and 310 yards to the position so far in 2014, but Olsen is a good enough player to rely on anyway. While he’s not challenging the Rob Gronkowski’s of the world for TE supremacy, he remains a nice fantasy option and should be active in all leagues.
Week 9 – Greg Olsen vs. New Orleans
Greg Olsen was very disappointing against the Seahawks on Sunday, putting up only 16 yards on one reception. He was only targeted three times, and this was easily his worst game of the season as the Panthers fell to Seattle.
Olsen should rebound against the Saints this week, even though the Saints have been better than anyone against the tight end position this year. They’ve allowed the second most points in the league against opposing wide receivers however, and the Panthers use Olsen so much that the Saints will have all they can handle. Olsen’s output last week was disappointing, but with how he’s been this season, he should still be considered a must start in all league formats.
