Though neither reached the end zone, both Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen and No. 1 receiver Kelvin Benjamin were favorite targets of quarterback Cam Newton on Sunday. The two tied for the team lead in targets in Carolina's 24-7 win over the Detroit Lions.
Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin both heavy targets for Panthers, fantasy owners
The Carolina tight end and No. 1 receiver both led the team with eight targets apiece. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Each pass-catchers was targeted eight times. Olsen caught six of his targets for 72 yards, while Benjamin caught only two of his for 46. The team's lone receiving touchdown came on a 14-yard pass to Jason Avant late in the third quarter.
Fantasy impact: Olsen was a must-start tight end to begin the season, so his production isn’t surprising. There were more questions about the rookie Benjamin, who wasn’t considered as skilled as some of the other rookie receivers, but was interesting by virtue of his role in the offense.
The Panthers and fantasy owners alike will need Benjamin to bring in more than a quarter of his targets going forward, but he’s shown he can do some damage when he does catch the ball.
