Arguably no team has had a quieter offseason than the Panthers. After gift-wrapping a playoff win for the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals in January, the Panthers did a little financial housekeeping that allowed them to keep left tackle Jordan Gross while franchising pass-rush phenom Julius Peppers. But beyond that, they didn't make many significant moves until the 2009 draft, when they picked up second-round talents Everette Brown and Sherrod Martin to add some depth to a defense that some consider to be in danger of being a threat.
Offensively, not a thing has changed, and the Panthers are fine with that. Last year's rushing duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart remain healthy and should work behind the club's mammoth O-line again this season. The Panthers also did not lift a finger to try and replace Jake Delhomme after his six-turnover fiasco in the Divisional Playoffs. That means he'll still be gunning for Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad as the team attempts to once again make a jaunt at the Super Bowl.
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Sleeper ... Mike Goodson, RB
If you're the type of Fantasy owner who likes to draft the backup to your top rusher, you're in trouble if you spend an early pick on DeAngelo Williams. Because Williams and teammate Jonathan Stewart share the ball a bunch as part of the Panthers' formula for winning games, getting both requires not just an early pick but also a pick between Rounds 5 and 6. That's a lot of early picks to spend on one team's running back position. The savvy move is to go after Goodson. The rookie from Texas A&M has good speed and quickness and was probably drafted to fill in for Williams in the event he struggles or gets hurt. Best of all, not many Fantasy owners are interested in picking him up in the draft, making him a very likely final-round pick for your team if you take Williams (or Stewart) early on. Any rusher playing behind that offensive line should be productive, so if Goodson gets back there, you can be the one to cash in.
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| Player | Draft Day value | |
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| Jake Delhomme |  | |
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| DeAngelo Williams | | |
| Jonathan Stewart | | |
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| Steve Smith | | |
| Muhsin Muhammad | | |
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| Jeff King | ||
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| John Kasay | | |
| Panthers DST | | |
Breakout ... Dwayne Jarrett, WR
Jarrett sizes up as your typical third-year receiver. His first two years in the league have been marred by maturity issues, and now that he's in an offense he's had some regularity with, there's a chance the 6-foot-4 wideout from USC can finally step up. The Panthers made no moves this offseason to bring in a third receiver to complement Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad, and that includes shutting out potential tight end additions. True, the Panthers are a running team and any huge receiving totals will go to the veterans, but Jarrett should be the favorite to be the team's No. 3 receiver, giving him a clear path to finally start scoring in the NFL. Think late-round pick in the deepest of leagues with him.
Bust ... Steve Smith, WR
With all due respect, some trending stats point to Smitty falling short in 2009. Smith posted a career-best 18.2 yards per catch last season, which helped him get to 1,421 yards ... on just 78 catches, a four-year low. Smith also has seen a precipitous drop in touchdowns, going from 12 in 2005 to eight in 2006, seven in 2007 and six last season. The Panthers clearly made hay as a running team last year and there's no sign pointing away from that in 2008, and that's magnified by Jake Delhomme remaining under center. Smith's health isn't an issue, nor is his age (30), but for when he's typically taken in drafts (Rounds 3-4), he's just not going to live up to expectations. Younger players on potent passing offenses -- Greg Jennings, Roddy White, Marques Colston and perhaps Brandon Marshall -- should go first.
Training camp topics
The incredible duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart dominated last year as both had double-digit touchdowns and a slew of yardage, proving that two running backs in one offense can be good for Fantasy. The onus is on them again to carry an offense that blew the doors off of bad teams and ran with good teams (literally!). But just as they look to repeat their feat, Jake Delhomme is back to prove that last postseason's disaster vs. the Cardinals was a fluke. The Panthers organization is firmly in Delhomme's corner, giving him every opportunity to keep up his comeback from Tommy John surgery.
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| Player | Touches |
| DeAngelo Williams | 295 |
| Jonathan Stewart | 192 |
| Steve Smith | 83 |
| Muhsin Muhammad | 65 |
The Panthers defense had a resurgence last year, but it's no coincidence that Julius Peppers rebounded after a terrible 2007. Now Peppers is the club's franchised free agent and wants out of town; the Panthers have yet to oblige. Without Peppers, the defense has virtually no proven pass rush which could cause all sorts of problems if he holds out or is traded before the start of the season. And even if he signs his franchise tender, there's a long track record of players underperforming after missing all of his club's offseason activities. For all of the quality starting talent they have, the Panthers defense will hinge on the play of Peppers. The sooner he gets to camp, the better.
Are you ready for the 2009 Fantasy season? If not, we're here for you. Send us an e-mail at DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com. We'll respond to as many as we can.
