Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton could deal with "nagging soreness constantly" in his ankle and ribs this season, according to coach Ron Rivera. He is expected to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3 on Sunday Night Football.
Fantasy owners shouldn’t panic over Cam Newton dealing with soreness
Cam Newton is going to have to play through some pain this season. We break down the fantasy implications.
Grant Halverson
In his season debut against the Detroit Lions, Newton was a pocket passer and only ran the ball four times, but he was also sacked four times. He was very effective in the pocket on his 34 attempts, completing 22 of them for 281 yards, one score and no interceptions. The Panthers' defense looks like it could be the best in the league, so they won't need Cam to win many games for them.
Fantasy impact: Despite some lackluster weapons around him and what isn't going to be a favorable system, Newton should still be a No. 1 quarterback in fantasy leagues. He has been a top-five quarterback in each of his first three seasons and missed the first game of his career in the Week 1 opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His fantasy owners shouldn't panic about this news and he's going to play through the pain unless the Panthers clinch their playoff seed early.
