In an injury plagued 2014 season that saw him suit up for only eight games, Mike Tolbert had his worst season statistically since his rookie year in 2008 with the Chargers. Tolbert finished with only 78 yards, and a 2.1 yard average on the ground, and he failed to find the end zone after scoring at least five times in each of the previous four seasons. Tolbert will look to get healthy and rebound from a forgettable season.
Fantasy Upside
If healthy, Tolbert has a chance to resume his role as a viable goal line back. He scored 12 rushing touchdowns over the course of the 2012-2013 seasons in Carolina, and the Panthers tend to be more successful when pounding the rock with all their backs. He should get more looks this season, and the Panthers line might be a little better.
Fantasy Downside
The offensive line should be improved, but it’s still sketchy, and Cam Newton vultures a lot of those goal line opportunities away from the Panthers’ backfield. Additionally, Tolbert will be 30 in November, so it’s possible that the years of his bruising running style are starting to catch up to him. He’s also unlikely to challenge for a starting role in the offense or anything more than a fullback/short yardage player, limiting his fantasy potential.
Bottom Line
Tolbert is a late round pick in touchdown-only leagues, but without a clear path to big time touches, he’s too risky to warrant draft considerations. It’s possible he gets some carries if the oft-injured Jonathan Stewart goes down again, but even then he’ll be contending with younger legs for carries. Tolbert’s days of consistent fantasy production appear to be on a serious decline, as his stats have plummeted in all categories since his glory days in San Diego.
