Cam Newton had a rough season in 2014. While the Panthers were able to back into a playoff spot and beat a devastatingly injured Cardinals team to advance to the second round, Cam struggled with injuries and protection issues all year. He still managed to finish the year with over 3,000 yards passing and 539 yards rushing, adding in 23 total touchdowns, which made him a solid fantasy option despite starting only 14 games.
Fantasy Upside
While Cam hardly ran the ball early in the season, as he got a little healthier, we started to see the old Cam Newton down the stretch. He averaged over 50 yards rushing per game in his last five starts, and the Panthers finished the season 3-2 to sneak into the playoffs. Cam has a new WR in Devin Funchess from the draft, will benefit from a healthy Jonathan Stewart in the backfield and is entering the season healthier than he was a year ago. All of this points toward the positive when evaluating his fantasy potential for 2015.
Fantasy Downside
There is always going to be downside with a quarterback who takes a lot of hits, and while his running ability and his huge stature make him an excellent fantasy option when he’s on the field, these traits are the same things that subject him to excessive hits that could limit his long term durability. Additionally, he has arguably one of the worst offensive lines in football and has never excelled at throwing a consistently accurate football. The injury to Kelvin Benjamin also could take its tole on the entire Panther offense if another young receiver can't step up.
Bottom Line
Cam is a top ten fantasy quarterback entering this season. While there are still questions about his game and his supporting cast, all indications are that the team around him is better now than it was a year ago, and that he’s healthier entering this season than he was in 2014. This should lead fantasy owners to think they’re more likely to see the late season version of the former Auburn standout than the early season player who only had 14 rushing attempts in his first four starts. Fantasy owners may get a steal with Cam as they pluck him up after the elite guys are off the board.