2017 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Can Cam Newton make use of the Panthers' new toys?

The Panthers haven't been known for their inventiveness on offense, but some key additions this offseason could change that, and help Cam Newton bounceback from a rough season. But it might not be enough to save his Fantasy value.

The Panthers went from first to worst in 2016, allowing an uncharacteristic 25.1 points and 359.8 total yards per game. That suggests a defensive breakdown took place, which did happen, but really it was the Carolina offense that was a letdown.

It had everything to do with Cam Newton. The dual-threat quarterback took some really big hits throughout the season, even missing time with a concussion. At times it looked like he was a little shell-shocked out there, and it ultimately showed in his stats. Newton came way down from his MVP year numbers to total 24 touchdowns (down from 45 in 2015) while declining in pretty much every single passing category. If anything, Newton proved his MVP year was not normal, and that's not a good thing.

Know what else isn't a good thing? Surgery. Newton had the rotator cuff on his throwing shoulder fixed in March, keeping him off the field until at least the start of training camp. It's no wonder coach Ron Rivera said this offseason he wanted Newton to run less.

So the Panthers went to the drawing board and reconfigured their offense. What we expect to see is more short-area plays for Newton to lean on, which the Panthers figure to do with rookie rusher Christian McCaffrey and receiver Curtis Samuel. They'll help the Panthers keep their star quarterback healthy.

But the rookies can't do everything. The Panthers lost deep-speed receiver Ted Ginn via free agency, taking away a key target of Newton's. The Carolina offensive line remains a mighty big question mark -- new left tackle Matt Kalil is not necessarily an upgrade. The rest of the offensive line isn't particularly comforting, further weakening the outlook for team's pass protecting and run blocking.

Tight end Greg Olsen remains a staple in Carolina, but receiver Kelvin Benjamin is battling a weight issue. He might not be as effective as we would hope. And while the Panthers defense is chock-full of veterans including a reunion with pass rusher Julius Peppers, they've lost defensive coordinator Sean McDermott to Buffalo.

The truth is this team will continue to revolve around Cam. When he's on, the team's winning. When he's off, the team's losing. The same can be said for the Fantasy teams Newton is on.  

Top-24 RB: Christian McCaffrey  

There are worries about how his body will hold up at the pro level, and there's the possibility that he scores more often on special teams than on offense, but the Panthers clearly have a plan in mind on how to use McCaffrey. Why else would they have picked him eighth overall? Able to do well off of handoffs and run any route, McCaffrey figures to be used frequently in a short-area receiving role along the lines of guys like Danny Woodhead and Reggie Bush. While this might cost him in the touchdowns department, it does open the door for McCaffrey to pile up the yardage. Best of all, he'll be able to work around the Panthers' sub-standard offensive line, not lean on it like Jonathan Stewart might. A no-brainer in PPR formats, McCaffrey is worth a Round 5 pick in typical 2017 leagues. 

Deep Sleeper: Devin Funchess

We're bound to hear about Devin Funchess dazzling in training camp, just as he did last year. Except this time around there's a better chance he'll achieve some career-high stats. He's entering his third season and he'll be tasked to help take a lot of the work left behind by Ted Ginn. Granted, Funchess isn't nearly the burner Ginn is, but the playing time involved should result in more targets and thus more stats. Furthermore, if Kelvin Benjamin isn't in tip-top shape then Funchess could actually claw away at some of his targets. Funchess has been mostly a disappointment through two seasons, save for touchdowns -- he's scored nine times, once every six receptions. We're talking about spending a very late-round pick on a receiver who could end up playing a much more meaningful role in 2017. Before you take a kicker, think about taking Funchess. 

Bust: Cam Newton 

It's one thing to expect good numbers from Cam Newton's receivers, it's another to expect Newton to rival his totals from his 2015 MVP season. Newton, as noted earlier, is coming off shoulder surgery and will be urged to run less. For years we've come to known Newton as a great rusher who can also put up numbers through the air. If he's not rushing as often then he'll have to put up some epic passing stats to make up for it. That's something Newton's not used to doing -- he has a career 58.4 completion percentage, has one year with more than 24 passing touchdowns and hasn't thrown for 4,000 yards since his rookie year. He's also become a minor injury risk, which combined with a mediocre offensive line, isn't so good. There are simply too many other quarterbacks we can count on for better cumulative stats than Newton, especially if he's not going to rack up a slew of rushing stats. Newton's the kind of quarterback you should target in the middle rounds as a high-end No. 2 option. Problem is, someone will probably view him as a very good quarterback and take him sooner. Let them.