Cam Newton, Greg Olsen's Updated Fantasy Outlook After Week 2 vs. Buccaneers

Two Carolina Panthers veterans are going in opposite directions when it comes to fantasy football stock.

After a quiet Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, Cam Newton had another up-and-down showing Thursday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, finishing 25-of-51 for 333 yards and no touchdowns. Greg Olsen had a much better night, taking advantage of a few big plays to total 110 receiving yards on six catches.  

Here is how you should treat both players in fantasy leagues going forward.

Cam Newton

Newton was one of the top fantasy quarterbacks in the NFL for the past decade when healthy, finishing as the leading scorer at the position during his MVP year in 2015 and a top-five scorer in five of the last eight seasons, per Pro Football Reference.

The key was his ability to pick up yards and touchdowns on the ground as well as through the air.

Whether it's his shoulder injury, his age or simply a different strategy, the running hasn't been there so far in 2019.

Newton finished Week 1 with three carries for minus-two yards and followed that with two carries for zero yards and a fumble Thursday.

That's a big change for a quarterback who averaged 39.1 rushing yards per game with 7.3 touchdowns per season coming into this year.

If the quarterback isn't running the ball, he's no longer an elite fantasy option. Even though he finished with over 300 passing yards, he also struggled with his accuracy and likely won't throw it over 50 times every game considering he'd done so only once before.

Those two factors could mean Newton is no longer worth a roster spot in fantasy. However, it could take some time to get back in the swing of things after his offseason shoulder surgery, so you don't necessarily need to cut him if you want to retain the upside.

If you need a roster spot, however, there are likely better options on the waiver wire.

Even Jameis Winston showed he could be a more viable fantasy option going forward.

Greg Olsen

Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

Pass-catchers can still have fantasy relevance even when the offense isn't clicking. Just look at the majority of Larry Fitzgerald's career.

Olsen looked like his old self against the Buccaneers, picking up big chunks of yardage on a pair of catches:

He was also targeted nine times after he received nine looks in Week 1, which shows he still has Newton's trust and could be more involved if the quarterback can't get the ball down the field.

The 34-year-old has always been a reliable weapon when healthy, topping 1,000 receiving yards each season from 2014-16. But injuries have been the bigger story lately; he's 16 missed games over the last two years.

It's important to keep a backup ready should another injury come. But for now, Olsen looks like he can be an impact player going forward. Considering the limited options at the position, his production could be enough to make him a TE1.

At just 60 percent ownership, per Yahoo Sports, Olsen should at least be added in all leagues. Unless you have a top option at the position, you can put him in your lineup for Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals.

DJ Moore/Curtis Samuel

The final numbers looked much better than the game itself.

DJ Moore (nine catches for 89 yards) and Curtis Samuel (five catches for 91 yards) ended up with solid outings, although they could've fared much better with more accurate throws from Newton.

Still, the good news is they each saw at least 13 targets and found ways to be productive even with a quiet offensive game for the Panthers. That's enough to put both players in a holding pattern from a fantasy perspective.

Samuel obviously has talent and upside, but he might not get enough touches to function as a threat each week. Unless you have limited options, he should remain on your bench.

Moore is best in points-per-reception leagues in which you can take advantage of his short catches. Those leagues could keep him as a WR2, but a lack of touchdowns will still hold him back.

Need more help with your fantasy football lineup? Matt Camp solves your fantasy problems live on B/R Gridiron's new show, Your Fantasy Fire Drill. Download the B/R app now to submit your questions and tune in every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET.