2013 Fantasy Outlook: Cam Newton

Information is constantly changing in the NFL and fantasy player values can change at any moment. Having updated, informative news can help you not just at your fantasy football draft but during the regular season. Feel free to glance at our recent articles to make sound decisions throughout the year.

To help you get ready for draft day you will notice articles for ADP advice, cheat sheets, mock drafts and projected stats for Cam Newton here. During the season, you can also find regular weekly ranking articles at this section as well.

Welcome to Cam Newton fantasy football outlook archive. At this section of Newton’s player page you will notice our past thoughts and advice for fantasy football.

Summer of 2012: Fantasy Projections

Coming into the season Cam Newton didn’t even make my top twenty quarterbacks to select for fantasy drafts. What looked like a run heavy attack with a raw quarterback, turned into a pass first offense, with Newton playing at times like a poised veteran.

As Greg Cosell points out (8:37 minutes into podcast) in a year ending podcast on the Shutdown Corner, “Greatness comes from throwing the football primarily from the pocket,” and “If you can’t throw the football from the pocket, you’ll never be a consistent quarterback in this league.”

I concur with Cosell, and as he pointed out, Newton has shown the ability to play from the pocket, since week one against the Cardinals.

This wasn’t just some gimmicky quarterback who caught everyone off guard with this running ability or some wild offensive scheme; no, this was a player who showed us on film he can play within structure which is necessary for any quarterback to play at a high level in this league.

Feeling Good About The Future

Newton was clearly one of the top fantasy quarterbacks a year ago, but even with his top-notch production, I will likely have him no higher than the fourth quarterback to select on draft day. While I’m confident Newton will be a great quarterback in this league, defenses will bracket Steve Smith and other options (perhaps Brandon LaFell) need to step up for this team to throw the football as they did a year ago.

Newton proved he’s more than a run first quarterback in this league, but if he should struggle (defenses have had a year to watch tape) it will be tempting for the Panthers to lean on the running game with DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert on board.

Since defenses will already give the passing game respect, it should open the door for better production on the ground, if that were to happen Newton may not reach 4,000 yards passing like he did a year ago.

I can’t fault anyone for reaching up and taking this guy as high as the first overall pick, but even his early ADP numbers (2.04 in 12 team leagues) would indicate fantasy owners are showing some pause in labeling him as an elite draft selection. If Newton can have another great season, it’s likely we won’t see him fall outside of the top five overall picks next year.

	Passing Stats			Rushing Stats
	Yards	TD	INT	Yards	TD
2012 Projected Stats	3,752	25	16	622	7

Summer of 2011: Fantasy Projections

While Cam Newton doesn’t figure to be a fantasy factor in 2011, the Panthers are doing a good job of giving him talent in the offense, if it’s just keeping players like veteran receiver Steve Smith. The addition of tight end Greg Olsen provides Newton two reliable targets in the middle of the field as Olsen will team up with Jeremy Shockey.

It looks like tackle Jeff Otah is bouncing back well from an injury that cost him the entire 2010 season, and the re-signing of DeAngelo Williams insures that the Panthers will have a running game to fear. For all the positives in the late summer, Newton will still have a big learning curve to go through and missing OTA’s didn’t help things.

Because of the Panthers situation at quarterback, Newton stands a real chance of being the teams starting quarterback, week one. Again, this is going to be a long season, but Newton’s dynasty value has gone up in recent weeks.

	Passing Stats			Rushing Stats
	Yards	TD	INT	Yards	TD
2011 Projected Stats	2,252	11	18	312	2

June 2011 Outlook

Cam Newton had a breakout season to say the least in 2010 as he led his Auburn to a National Title and won the Heisman Trophy. With great ability and skill, Newton was a shoe in to be a first round pick at the 2011 NFL Draft, but it was his passion for personal and team improvement that seemed to be the attributes that made him their clear choice for the first overall selection on draft day.

While I hold out hope for Newton to be a successful pro, 2011 will probably be a major year of growth for this talented youngster, and the NFL lockout is doing nothing to help him prepare. Furthermore, it looks like veteran wide receiver Steve Smith will be on the move when the lockout ends, as he’s looking to play for a Super Bowl contender.

If Smith does leave, Newton will be stuck with talented but unproven youngsters like Brandon LaFell, David Gettis and Armanti Edwards as his main receivers. Luckily the team did sign tight end Jeremy Shockey just before the lockout started so at least Newton will have someone with an established career to find.

Add it all up and hopefully the Panthers will let Jimmy Clausen play the first month of the season, and establish their ground game before giving the football to Newton. The next few seasons should be time for great growth and development for the Panthers’ offense, and Newton will be left on fantasy football waiver wires in that time.

For keeper leagues, the best we can hope for Newton’s development is that the youth around him continues to mature at a steady pace much like it has in Tampa Bay for Josh Freeman.