Week 17 vs. Tampa Bay
Cam Newton struggled against Atlanta last week, as the entire Panthers offense seemed lifeless. Newton finished with only 198 yards, a touchdown and two picks, although he added 36 yards on the ground. Cam is still a threat to put up big fantasy numbers in any given game, but with the struggles in Carolina, it’s hard to expect it out of him anymore.
This week should be a good one for him. He missed the last Tampa Bay game, but the Bucs rank 23rd in the league in passing yards allowed this season and should be considered a decent matchup. We have him as a borderline starter due to his recent struggles, but there’s probably not a better option than him on waivers.
Week 16 vs. Atlanta
Cam Newton had a nice game against Washington last week, throwing for 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns and leading the Panthers to their sixth win of the season. The Panthers looked more like their 2015 selves against Washington, which is a good sign for fantasy owners counting on Cam for success in the playoffs and finals.
This week should be a good one for Newton. The Falcons have allowed the third most passing yards per game this season, and only the Browns have allowed more touchdown passes. Cam didn’t take advantage of the matchup in Atlanta back in Week 4, but at home this week, he should be in for a great fantasy day.
Week 15 vs. Washington
Cam Newton had only 160 yards, a touchdown and a pick against the Chargers last week. He did add 31 rushing yards to his total on eight attempts, but he’s been largely disappointing the past couple of weeks as the Carolina offense has struggled. He remains an interesting fantasy option however because of his dual threat ability.
This week, he has some upside against a Washington defense that ranks 24th in the league in passing yards allowed and has allowed 17 touchdowns on the ground this year – tied for third most in the NFL. Newton is far from a sure thing, but he has the ability to explode in any given week and has a nice matchup for fantasy owners to take advantage of this weekend.
Week 14 vs. San Diego
Cam Newton and the rest of the Carolina Panthers struggled heavily against the Seahawks last week. Cam finished with only 182 yards and a touchdown, with only 12 rushing yards, and completed less than 44% of his passes in a blowout loss. Cam has struggled recently as the season has slipped away from the Panthers, but he remains an elite talent who adds to his passing numbers with quality rushing stats during many games.
This week, he’ll face a San Diego team that might make things rough on him. While they give up the sixth most passing yards per game to opposing teams, the Chargers also lead the league with 15 interceptions this season, making it likely that the sometimes erratic Newton could turn the ball over plenty this week. San Diego can score, so Cam should still be valuable in a game that should feature plenty of offense, but instead of being the reliably elite option he usually is, Cam is down to “solid starter” status, just inside the top-10 in our rankings.
Week 13 vs. Seattle
Cam Newton salvaged a disappointing day against the Raiders with a strong second half, nearly pulling off a victory and ending up with 246 yards and three touchdowns, including one rushing. Newton has the ability to come out of bad passing days with solid fantasy numbers because of what he does on the ground and how frequently he gets goal line touches.
This week is a bad matchup for Cam, but you probably can’t afford to sit him in most leagues. Seattle is tied for second in the league with only 10 touchdown passes allowed this year and they’ve allowed fewer points per game than any other team in football. Newton ranks outside our top-12 this week, making him a borderline starter in most leagues. If you have a better option with a better matchup, this might be the week to look elsewhere.
Week 12 vs. Oakland
Cam Newton had only 192 yards and a touchdown against the Saints last week, a disappointing total for such a great matchup. He also gained only seven yards on five carries, his second lowest total of the year. This should be an anomaly for Newton though, as he averages 29.8 rushing yards per game this year and has four touchdowns on the ground this season. That type of production usually helps him overcome lower passing numbers.
This week, expect Cam to rebound against the Raiders. Oakland ranks dead last in the league in sacks, and they allow more passing yards per game than anyone other than New Orleans, Atlanta, and Indianapolis. He should be a top option at the quarterback position this week and should be active in all fantasy league formats.
Week 11 vs. New Orleans
Cam Newton had only 261 yards passing, a touchdown and a pick against the Chiefs on Sunday, but as he often does, he turned out a good fantasy day anyway with 54 yards and a touchdown on 12 rushing attempts. As a dual threat option, Cam is a reliable QB1 every week and hasn’t disappointed this year with 14 combined touchdowns in eight games.
This week, Cam is a must start in all league formats against the Saints. New Orleans has allowed more passing yards per game than any other team in football this season, and only Cleveland and San Francisco have allowed more points. Expect the Panthers to put up lots of offense this week against a vulnerable Saints defense.
Week 10 vs. Kansas City
Cam Newton and the Panther offense struggled a bit in a win over the Rams last week. He finished with only 16 yards on the ground, 225 passing yards and a touchdown. Not a terrible outing, but it definitely wasn’t the kind of elite fantasy numbers you expect from Cam. Still, he’s a good option every week because of his ability to supplement his passing statistics with rushing numbers, and even last week he had seven carries.
This week, Cam will face a Chiefs defense that doesn’t give up a ton of points overall due to their stingy run defense that has allowed only three rushing touchdowns all season. However, The Chiefs have given up 15 passing touchdowns, making them a below average pass defense. Expect Cam to try to get the offense back on track this week and to turn in a very good performance. He’s an automatic starter at QB1 in all league formats.
Week 9 vs. Los Angeles
Cam Newton got a big win last week against the Cardinals as the Panthers try desperately to stay relevant in the NFC South race. Cam had a quiet fantasy day however, with only 212 yards passing and no touchdowns. He did add 43 yards on seven carries, which is consistent with how he usually supplements sub-par passing days.
This week, he’ll face the Rams, who have been very average on defense this year. They’ve given up 11 touchdown passes so far this season, and six rushing touchdowns, which should allow the Panthers to continue their offensive success. The Panthers rank fourth in the league in points per game, and Cam is a big part of that. He should be active in all leagues as a QB1.
Week 8 vs. Arizona
Cam Newton had 322 yards and three touchdowns, including one rushing, against the Saints before the bye last week. He continues to add value as a runner to his passing totals, making him a viable QB1 any time he takes the field. As long as Newton is healthy, the offense will continue to run through Cam, which makes him one of the most consistently valuable fantasy QBs.
This week, his value might slide a little from elite to very good. He faces a Cardinals defense that is top-10 against the pass, and ranks fifth in the league in points allowed. Expect the defense to be a little more of a challenge to Cam than the Saints were two weeks ago, but he should still be able to put up quality numbers. The Panthers have put up an average of 35.6 points per game when Cam has been the starter this season.
