Despite the presence of rookie running back Christian McCaffrey, the Carolina Panthers aren’t putting Jonathan Stewart out to pasture quite yet. Indeed, Stewart continues to see a healthy workload even in his age-30 season, taking 77 carries for 251 yards in the first five games.
Fantasy football 2017: Jonathan Stewart, start or sit on ‘TNF?’
Stewart is still playing a big role even with Christian McCaffrey in the fold. We break down the fantasy implications.
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On the downside, Stewart hasn’t really done anything with those touches, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry and scoring only one receiving touchdown. He hasn’t found the end zone since Week 1 as the Panthers’ offense struggled to get going. Stewart is also on the injury report with an ankle issue, though he should be ready to go when the Panthers face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night.
Fantasy impact: The volume is there, but Stewart is barely contributing, running into brick walls and generally looking old. His fantasy ceiling is pretty low if he can’t score in goal-line situations. In addition, the Eagles have a feisty defense that’s allowing the third-fewest points to running backs, and they’re probably getting star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox back from injury. Stewart is in a bad spot this week, and fantasy owners can probably do better at their flex position.
Recommendation: Start only if you’re desperate
