Cam Newton, New Faces Atop NFL Leaderboards

-by Ralph Vacchiano

You knew that Tom Brady and Drew Brees would be leading the NFL in passing yardage, even this early in the season. But come on, who would’ve guessed that Cam Newton would be third? Darren McFadden as the NFL’s rushing leader so far is probably not a stretch, but Ben Tate fifth, less than 100 yards behind and ahead of Adrian Peterson?

COMMENTS

Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert - Who Will Win The Rookie QB Faceoff?

Cam Newton takes on Blaine Gabbert this Sunday.

by Josh Kipnis

On Wednesday, coach Jack Del Rio of the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert will be starting this week over interception-machine Luke McCown. While the matchup between Jacksonville and Carolina would typically be overlooked, the enticing battle between Gabbert and Panthers’ rookie, Cam Newton, creates an opportunity for NFL fans to take a glimpse into the future.

Breaking Down Blaine Gabbert

COMMENTS

Which 0-2 NFL Teams Still Have A Chance At Making The Playoffs

The Minnesota Vikings can climb out of their hole, but the Chiefs? Not so much.

By RALPH VACCHIANO

COMMENTS

Cam Newton: Record-Breaking Rookie

Carolina's Cam Newton has more passing yards than any QB other than Tom Brady.

By Nathan Rush

Panthers rookie Cam Newton held the NFL record for passing yards in Weeks 1 and 2 for about three hours, before Patriots three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady raised the bar even higher later in the afternoon.

COMMENTS

5 Overreactions from the NFL's Week 1

As we prepare for Week 2, which teams are for real and which teams are not.

By RALPH VACCHIANO

In 2003, the New England Patriots released popular safety Lawyer Milloy, causing an uproar up in Foxboro, Mass. He promptly signed with the Buffalo Bills, and together they hammered the Pats 31-0 on Opening Day. Tom Brady was picked off four times.

The Patriots looked like their NFL dynasty would never get started. The Bills looked like they had recaptured their glory days.

The Bills finished 6-10 that season. The Patriots finished 14-2 and won the Super Bowl.

COMMENTS

The NFC South Leads the Way in QB Play

With Cam Newton's big splash, the NFC South is stacked with top quarterbacks

By Josh Kipnis

This past weekend, we all witnessed history as Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers broke the record for most passing yards in a quarterback’s NFL debut. Even with his astonishing 110.4 passer rating, 2 TD, 422-yard performance, Newton still has a long way to go before he can claim kingship over the division. With Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Josh Freeman leading the other three teams in the NFC South, 2011 should be a very promising year for this division.

COMMENTS

NFL Prime Time Players - Week 1

Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Cam Newton headline the NFL's top performers from Week 1.

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers

COMMENTS

5 Things To Watch This NFL Season

Here are five important story lines to watch this upcoming NFL season.

COMMENTS

Carolina Panthers 2011 NFL Team Preview

We take a look at the Panthers rebuilding year with Cam Newton.

The Panthers dropped off a cliff in 2010, falling to an NFL-worst 2–14 mark and setting numerous team records for offensive futility. As you would expect when a team performs that poorly, much is new for 2011. New coach Ron Rivera — who interviewed for 10 head coaching jobs before finally being hired by Carolina — is determined to turn things around in the aftermath of the John Fox era.

COMMENTS

Fantasy Football: Breaking down the Carolina Panthers

CAROLINA
• Inside the Locker Room
With Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer

Is Cam Newton the Week 1 starter?
Probably not. Rivera knows that he and Newton will forever be linked — each a rookie in a critical year in 2011. So it stands to reason that he will protect the Panthers’ investment in Newton a little and not throw him to the wolves too early. With as little time as the lockout afforded, Newton is probably best served sitting on the bench for at least a few games. But by midseason, he’s likely the starter.

What’s the most intriguing question regarding fantasy football and the Panthers?
What will Newton’s value ultimately be? Based on name and draft status alone, he likely will be picked higher in many fantasy drafts than he ultimately deserves in Year 1 (unless you’re in a keeper league). Don’t expect anywhere near Newton’s gaudy production at Auburn (50 total TDs for the season), in part because the Panthers’ wide receiving corps is mediocre at the moment. But we’ve all seen what Newton can do, and if he plays and stays healthy, he’s going to be something else at some point. But when that point comes is anyone’s guess.

• Fantasy Playoff Run — Weeks 14-16: ATL, @HOU, TB
Cam Newton is a wild card. Houston will have never seen him, and Tampa Bay will have seen him just three weeks earlier. And let’s pray the RBs are healthy. If so, they get a Texans D that has switched to the 3-4 and a Bucs D that was 28th vs. the run last year.

• Athlon Best Bets
Sleeper: David Gettis, WR
Deep-Sleeper: Mike Goodson, RB
Overvalued: None
Top Rookie: Cam Newton, QB
Bounce-Back: DeAngelo Williams, RB
Top IDP: Jon Beason, LB

• Draft Class Fantasy Impact
Despite spending a second-round pick on Jimmy Clausen last year, the Panthers went early on a quarterback once again. This time it was No. 1 overall with Newton. The Heisman Trophy winner has enormous talent and athletic ability but may be a year or two away from contributing to a fantasy roster. Newton should be stashed in keeper leagues.

More Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets and Rankings:
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 280
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 240 w/ IDPs
2 011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks
2 011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers
2011 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defense/Special Teams