Cam Newton's Rib Injury Doesn't Impact His Fantasy Value for Week 2

As long as Cam Newton's on the field, he should be in your fantasy football starting lineup for Week 2.

The Carolina Panthers quarterback missed Week 1 with a persistent rib injury. Derek Anderson filled in admirably, throwing for 230 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-14 win. The second that Newton became available, though, you knew he'd be inserted into the first team again.

Newton admitted that he's not yet at 100 percent while dealing with his ribs and surgically repaired ankle, per Fox Sports Carolina's Brett Jensen. The two-time Pro Bowler added that he won't change his game as a result:

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Playing this game, you can't have nothing holding you back. If you're thinking, you're wrong automatically. The thing that makes great players great and separates players from different players, being prepared or not, you have to react and if you're thinking, you're already a step behind.

So, if I'm thinking about a particular injury, then I'm already a step behind. If I'm so gun-shy in the pocket and not worried about the receivers that are open downfield, something's going to happen that's not going to get the job done. My main focus is having confidence in myself and knowing that I'm able to be myself when I'm out there.

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That is good news for fantasy owners who have Newton on their rosters and might have been worried that he would be a bit hesitant in his first game back from injury. Without his mobility and scrambling, the 25-year-old isn't the same kind of fantasy weapon.

What should really get owners excited for this weekend is the performance of Kelvin Benjamin in Week 1. The rookie wide receiver caught six passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. His TD grab is one of the best catches you'll see all season.

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Coming out of Florida State, Benjamin boasted loads of potential but remained a bit raw. His route running needed work, and a few too many times he watched easy passes slip through his grasp. It was clear for all to see, though, that if he irons out the wrinkles in his game, he can be a Pro Bowler.

Despite how good Benjamin looked, you don't want to get ahead of yourself off just one game. After the win, Carolina head coach Ron Rivera made sure to keep the rookie's feet on the ground, per the team's Twitter account:

With that said, Benjamin's presence should only help to stabilize Newton's fantasy value on a Panthers team desperately in need of a go-to wide receiver. Greg Olsen can't be the team's leading receiver for a second year in a row.

Carolina's Week 2 opponent should also be reassuring for those who scooped up Newton in their fantasy drafts.

Although the Detroit Lions held Eli Manning to 18-of-33 passing for 163 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, Detroit's secondary still has some major question marks. MLive.com's Kyle Meinke thinks that management's decision to focus on offense in the NFL draft has come back to haunt the team:

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Since that day, the Lions cut starting cornerback Chris Houston because of his inability to overcome a toe injury from last December. Then on Tuesday, they announced starting nickel man Bill Bentley is lost for the season after tearing an ACL in the opener against the New York Giants.

Those are two giant blows for a team whose biggest weakness already was the secondary. They struggled against the pass last year, ranking 23rd, and then decided to focus on offense in free agency and the draft.

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You can attribute much of Detroit's success against Manning to the Giants' weak offensive line, in addition to Manning being one of the more error-prone QBs in the league.

Whatever rustiness Newton needs to shake off on Sunday should be offset somewhat by the Lions secondary. His return to the field could've certainly come against tougher opposition.

It might be a little unreasonable to expect Newton to be a top-five QB this week, but he'll certainly do enough to warrant a starting spot on most teams.