Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is famous for his abilities as a dual threat, with production in both the passing and the rushing game. It's a good thing for fantasy owners that that's true; Newton The Passer couldn't get much going Sunday, but Newton The Rusher salvaged his fantasy day in the Panthers' 20-16 win over the Miami Dolphins. Carolina has now won seven straight after starting the season 1-3.
Cam Newton’s fantasy owners rescued by his rushing performance
The Panthers quarterback couldn’t get much going in the passing game Sunday. We break down the fantasy implications.
Mike Ehrmann
Newton had his lowest yards-per-attempt average of the season (4.58) while completing 19 passes for only 174 yards, with a touchdown and an interception, but added 51 rushing yards and a touchdown on eight carries, his second-highest yardage total of the season.
Fantasy impact: The fact that Newton did a lot of damage on the ground Sunday isn't a big surprise, as the Dolphins are a much better passing defense than rushing. With Newton, along with running backs DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and Mike Tolbert, the Panthers have a four-headed rushing attack, and Newton was the leading rusher Sunday, with Williams and Stewart tying at 31 yards for the next-highest total.
This might be the way for the Panthers to attack for the next couple weeks, as they face the tough pass defenses of Tampa Bay and New Orleans. Newton’s owners should be happy he has a second tool to turn to when the passing game isn’t having much success.
