The Carolina Panthers are being cautious with their star quarterback. Cam Newton did not practice on Wednesday and isn't expected to do much for the rest of the week, but the team is fully expecting him to be ready for the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Cam Newton not practicing Wednesday; fantasy owners shouldn’t worry
Cam Newton is going to get little, if any, practice time this week, but he expects to play on Sunday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Newton hasn’t practiced since suffering a hairline rib fracture in the third preseason game. He is also recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Newton will wear a flak jacket on Sunday and isn’t expected to miss the game, barring a last-minute setback. He has yet to miss a game in three NFL seasons.
Fantasy impact: Quarterbacks don’t typically miss time with this kind of injury, so look for Newton to suit up. Even at less than 100 percent, he should be a steady QB2 for fantasy purposes. The Panthers might scale back designed running plays to protect Newton from big hits, which could keep him out of the QB1 range, but he is still a reliable start in 12- and 14-team leagues.
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