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The 2018 campaign began very well for Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Newton was putting up big numbers, taking care of the football and the Panthers had gotten off to a 6-2 start.
However, during the second half of the season, Newton was plagued by shoulder issues, resulting in him throwing nine interceptions over a six-game span before ultimately being shut down for the final two games of the season.
The 30-year-old then underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder during the offseason, marking the second procedure he has had on his throwing shoulder since the end of the 2016 campaign.
Obviously, multiple surgeries on your throwing shoulder is never a good sign, and, as a result, Fantasy Football owners should be approaching Newton with caution heading into this season.
But where should you target him in drafts?
Well, we need to look at the facts. Newton is currently throwing in rehab, but there is no timetable for his return. The Panthers are expecting him to be ready for Week 1, but there are no guarantees.
Remember: the Indianapolis Colts thought Andrew Luck would be good to go for Week 1 in 2017, but his shoulder problems ended up knocking him out for the entire season.
Based on that, we can't say for sure that Newton will be healthy for 2019, and while he may be on schedule, that does not necessarily mean he will be on the field for Week 1.
That right there makes Newton a pretty risky option even though we know what he can do when he is healthy.
We also need to take into account just how much Newton's shoulder has affected him over the last few years. The issues began in 2016, and that season, Newton threw for 3,509 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions while completing a paltry 52.9 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 75.8, one season after winning the MVP. Then, in 2017, Newton finished with 3,302 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 16 picks.
He appeared to be righting the ship this past season and actually completed a career-high 67.9 percent of his throws, but, obviously, the shoulder was not fully healed, and it makes you wonder if Newton will ever be truly right again.
The good thing with Newton is that his shoulder does not affect his rushing ability, as he is still good for around 500 yards and five rushing scores a year on average, but just how much will his passing be compromised, and will he even play all 16 games?
Compounding the fact that Newton's health is an issue is the Panthers don't have a ton of reliable receivers. Sure, DJ Moore looks like a potential star on the rise, but then what? Curtis Samuel is pretty unproven, and Chris Hogan is nothing more than a decent slot receiver.
As for tight end Greg Olsen? Who knows if he will be able to stay healthy?
Honestly, Newton's best target aside from Moore may very well be running back Christian McCaffrey, who caught 107 passes in 2018.
There are just too many question marks to advise rolling with Newton as your Fantasy Football quarterback going into 2019. We don't know how healthy he is, and we don't know if he is going to play all 16 games and we don't know how dependable his weapons are going to be.
Taking Newton would be a pretty big gamble, and based on how his last three seasons have gone, it's a gamble that may not be worth the risk.
If you are going to draft him, make sure you are set at running back and wide receiver first. Otherwise, there are better, safer options under center.
