Divisional Round – Jonathan Stewart vs. Seattle
Jonathan Stewart has been dynamite the past six weeks or so, and he had a great day against a tough Cardinals defense last week, rushing for 123 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and is now reminding the Panthers of the reasons why they gave him so much money.
Fantasy owners should take note too, although it’ll be hard for Stewart to put up big numbers this week against the vaunted Seattle defense. The Seahawks were the third best run defense this season and the Panthers will have a hard time moving the ball in Seattle. Stewart will get the touches, making him a nice secondary option for fantasy owners, but we have him well below our top four guys and he should be considered a RB2 type of guy with such a tough game ahead.
Wildcard Weekend – Jonathan Stewart vs. Arizona
Jonathan Stewart only had 49 yards against the Falcons last week, but he finished a rough season on a strong note, averaging 5.34 yards per carry and rushing for 486 yards over the last five games of the season. The Panthers offense is playing better, and Stewart has been a big reason why.
This week Stewart will face a daunting task trying to run against a stout Cardinals defense that allowed only eight rushing touchdowns this season. The Cardinals are beat up, and Stewart should continue to get the rock, making him a solid, but not spectacular fantasy option. We have him ranked sixth this week, and slotted as the last of the backs we’re confident will get a large workload.
Week 17 – Jonathan Stewart vs. Atlanta
Jonathan Stewart has been solid the past few weeks, and had another nice game against the Browns in Week 16, putting up 122 yards on 24 carries and adding seven yards and a touchdown on two receptions.
Stewart has a nice matchup this week against the Falcons and should continue to carry the load in a big time game that will decide the NFC South division winner. No team has given up more rushing touchdowns this season than Atlanta, and because of the great matchup and the newfound resurgence in the Panthers offense, Stewart should be considered a high end RB2 this week.
Week 16 – Jonathan Stewart vs. Cleveland
Jonathan Stewart had a fair enough day against the Bucs last week, rushing for 75 yards on 22 carries and adding a six yard reception to his totals. It wasn’t the top notch fantasy day everyone expected, but it was solid nonetheless, and fellow backs Fozzy Whitaker and Mike Tolbert combined for only four carries, proving that with DeAngelo Williams out, Stewart is the main guy in Carolina carrying the rock.
This week, Stewart faces a Browns defense that has been much better against the pass than the run. They’ve allowed the second most rushing yards per game to opposing offenses this season, and have given up 12 touchdowns on the ground in 2014. Stewart hasn’t lit the world on fire, but should find a way to 16-20 touches again, making him at least worth RB2 consideration in most leagues.
Week 15 – Jonathan Stewart vs. Tampa Bay
Jonathan Stewart had a great game last week against the Saints, carrying the ball 20 times for 155 yards, including a 69 yard touchdown run early in the third quarter that made the score 31-3. Whoever these Panthers were, coaches and fans will be hoping to see more of them down the stretch as the 4-8-1 Panthers are somehow not out of the race for the division title.
Stewart should continue to get the ball this week with DeAngelo Williams still ailing, even though Mike Tolbert and Fozzy Whitaker will be in the mix. Stewart is unlikely to repeat his performance from last week, but he could be an average RB2 option against a Bucs defense that allows over 115 yards per game on the ground, and has given up 12 rushing touchdowns on the season.
Week 14 – Jonathan Stewart vs. New Orleans
Jonathan Stewart had 12 carries and two receptions last week for a total of 110 yards from scrimmage in a loss to the Vikings. Stewart had the best day of any Panther and he had a nice 26 yard run that reminded Panther fans of the Stewart of old.
This week, he has a nice matchup against the Saints’ 23rd ranked rush defense, and with DeAngelo Williams being declared out for this game, Stewart gets a little uptick in value. He still has limited upside, but with the modest production he’s strung together lately, he should be considered a low-end RB2 option in large leagues.
Week 13 – Jonathan Stewart vs. Minnesota
Jonathan Stewart had a total of 39 yards on seven carries and three receptions two weeks ago. He’ll continue to share touches with DeAngelo Williams, as well as a now healthy Mike Tolbert. With all three backs in the lineup, none of them have a tremendous amount of upside.
This week, Stewart faces a Vikings team that’s been in the bottom half of the league against the run, so if he gets touches he could be effective. That’s a big if however, as the Panthers will keep all three backs involved and likely ride the hot hand. Stewart has low end RB3 potential if you’re desperate, but I’d ultimately stay away from all the Carolina backs for the time being.
Week 11 – Jonathan Stewart vs. Atlanta
Jonathan Stewart had 11 carries for 36 yards and a touchdown last week against the Eagles, and he added 23 more yards on four receptions. Stewart has been splitting time with DeAngelo Williams the last couple of games, but he’s looked like the better player of the two, and it’s possible that he’ll start getting a larger slice of the workload if he keeps outproducing his counterpart.
This week, Stewart has some added upside because he’s going up against a horrible Atlanta Falcons run defense that ranks tied for last in the league with 13 rushing touchdowns allowed this season. Stewart’s value is limited since he’s in a straight up RBBC, but his upside this week makes him a risky RB3 with upside.
Week 10 – Jonathan Stewart vs. Philadelphia
Jonathan Stewart was in a time share last week against the Saints, and he ended up with 46 yards on eight carries. He split duties 50/50 with DeAngelo Williams, who now seems healthy and will continue to get touches.
Unfortunately, Stewart and Williams kind of cancel each other out as fantasy options with both players getting a fairly equal workload. While it was good to see Stewart average 5.8 yards per carry against the Saints in an otherwise horrible offensive performance from the Panthers, expecting Stewart to put up better than low-end Flex or RB3 numbers would be a bit much. He’ll get you a few guaranteed points if you’re desperate, but he has limited upside.
Week 9 – Jonathan Stewart vs. New Orleans
Jonathan Stewart has started the last few games and was a bright spot on the Panthers offense last week against the Seahawks, rushing for 79 yards on 4.9 yards per carry. He also added three receptions for 15 more yards and he looks much better than he has in the last couple of years. He also looks healthy, which is a good sign for fantasy owners desperate for a RB2 or Flex option to emerge from Carolina.
Update:
DeAngelo Williams is now scheduled to start against the Saints, which makes both Stewart and Williams sketchy fantasy starts. Expect them to split touches and for both to be desperation fantasy options at best.
This week, Stewart faces the bitter division rival Saints, who have been average against the run this season, but have given up seven rushing touchdowns on the year. Stewart will try to knock the Saints back down to earth after a big win over Green Bay on Sunday night, but early reports indicate that DeAngelo Williams may be ready to play. If Williams is inactive again, Stewart could have low-end RB2 or Flex potential for fantasy owners. If Williams starts, it likely hurts the fantasy value of both players, pushing Stewart to desperation territory.
