Fantasy Football: It's Time to Trade for Jonathan Stewart

Despite a mere 142 rushing yards and 51 receiving yards, the outlook for Carolina running back Jonathan Stewart is promising.

Well, probably not this week as Carolina has the misfortune of facing the Bears, but brighter days lie ahead.

Stewart dealt with a toe injury earlier in the season and has yet to touch the ball more than 13 times. Not to mention the struggles the Panthers have had on offense.

Cam Newton has clearly regressed and his team is sitting at 24th in the league in total offense (335.7 yards per game) and 28th in scoring offense (17.7 points per game).

They rank 13th in the league in rushing yards per game at 113.7 ypg, but that number is misleading thanks to Cam Newton's 45.5 ypg and 9.2 ypg they are getting on receiver runs . Plus, keep in mind that last year they were third in the league with 150.5 ypg.

The Panthers have made a shift with J-Stew assuming lead-back duties. They could also be making a change schematically.

Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer suggests that the Panthers will "shift from the zone read package to more reliance on a power running game." If they can get Johnson 12-15 carries, things should start turning around for the Panthers and J-Stew's fantasy owners.

The biggest hurdle to clear will be the Panthers' offensive line. If they can patch it together in time, there could be some decent days for Stewart ahead. His fantasy playoffs matchups against Atlanta, San Diego and Oakland look promising.

If you're looking for some help at running back, give his owner a shout. Maybe you can get him on the cheap.

Also check out:

• 2012 Week 8 Fantasy QB Rankings
• 2012 Week 8 Fantasy RB Rankings
• 2012 Week 8 Fantasy WR Rankings
• 2012 Week 8 Fantasy TE Rankings