Cam Newton's Fantasy Trade Value, Updated Outlook Heading into Week 6

During the 2014 season, fantasy stars have been anything but, often putting up sporadic results.

Notable names like LeSean McCoy, Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson have let down fantasy owners but have a chance to shine later this season. The same goes for Cam Newton, despite the slow start to his fourth season.

After having offseason injuries that even kept him out of Week 1, Newton has been a disappointment for owners. He's been safe with the ball, throwing just one interception, but has just five touchdowns through four games.

In fact, Newton has been so dismal that C.D. Carter of XN Sports noted he wouldn't be a commodity without his name:

Some of those numbers can be attributed to Newton's shortcomings as a passer, but it's also due to a new receiving corps. Kelvin Benjamin has shown flashes of greatness, but he still drops passes that have potential for huge plays.

The passing game is one thing, but the dual-threat potential is what normally makes Newton a QB1. Unfortunately, he has been pedestrian in the running game with just 42 rushing yards and three yards per rush.

His most recent performance saw him fail to reach double digits in rushing yards for the third consecutive game. Midway through that showing, Michael Fabiano of NFL.com provided his thoughts on the Panthers signal-caller:

Needless to say, the Play 60 kid was loosening up his arm.

During the 2013 season, Newton averaged more than 36.5 rushing yards per game, a number he has failed to reach even once this year. Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera referenced allowing Newton to do more in the offense, per David Newton of ESPN.com:

"

We have to do things the right way. You don’t want to unleash him unless he’s ready to be unleashed. ... We’ve got to listen to what the trainers and doctors are saying, and we’ve got to listen to what he’s telling us.

As he gets healthier and healthier, the offense is going to start to expand. That’s the best part, too. That for us is a huge plus. But if we don’t take care of what we need to get corrected running the ball and stopping the run, it’s going to be a long season for us.

"

While the first part of that might make Newton owners cringe, the final comments are encouraging. Now that we've covered the bad, here's the positive for Newton—he has opportunities for huge performances ahead.

Following the next three matchups against stout passing defenses in the Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, Newton should be smooth sailing for owners. That's if they can hold out that long.

Here's a look at the upcoming matchups for Newton during the final eight weeks of the season, with fantasy statistics courtesy of NFL.com.

Week	Opponent	Pass Yds/Game	Pass TDs	Rush Yds/Game	Rush TDs	Fantasy Points*
9	Saints	268 (26th)	9	112 (14th)	5	19.07
10	Eagles	274 (29th)	13	132 (24th)	2	22.08
11	Falcons	260 (24th)	5	147.6 (28th)	10	16.09
12	BYE	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
13	Vikings	226 (11th)	9	121.8 (19th)	5	14.69
14	Saints	268 (26th)	9	112 (14th)	5	19.07
15	Buccaneers	292 (30th)	10	120.2 (18th)	6	18.18
16	Browns	269 (28th)	7	152.5 (29th)	5	19.17
17	Falcons	260 (24th)	5	147.6 (28th)	10	16.09

Newton's underwhelming numbers through the first five weeks of the season should take a huge turn soon. That brings us to his trade value, which should actually benefit owners looking to add the quarterback at this point.

Sure, he doesn't play the Jacksonville Jaguars or Washington Redskins, but those matchups are encouraging. Owners who have given up on Newton may be looking to deal him low, which could pay dividends for those without a trustworthy quarterback.

Early in the season, Newton might not look the part of a QB1 or even a viable option to start at times. But thanks to several soft games late in the season and increased health, he can lead owners who keep or trade for him to a fantasy championship.

At some point, Newton will don the Superman cape again and carry his team. Fantasy owners simply hope it's soon enough to propel them into the playoffs.

Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.