The Carolina Panthers must lean on unheralded players in Week 17 of the regular season and with the postseason looming just ahead.
In team sports there’s often the idea that without multiple stars an organization will only get so far. The Carolina Panthers offense flies in the face of that idea as they continue to produce without many “big name” players on this side of the ball. Outside of Cam Newton, the Panthers offense is made up of some young and not so well-known components that are exceeding expectations when the team needs them most.
The young crew is slowly taking over in Charlotte. From a statistical standpoint, players who are still “new” to the NFL and unheralded are providing the Panthers with the shot in the arm needed late in the 2017 season. As the postseason nears and the Panthers prepare to make a push toward another Super Bowl appearance, it will be interesting to see how the team continues to lean upon its unknown players when every play of every possession matters even more.
The receiving corps is where this is most apparent. Predicated by seasons past, Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin were expected to have big years. However, quite the opposite has occurred. Benjamin was traded to the Buffalo Bills in October and Olsen has dealt with injuries, limiting his appearances to only six games. In their stead, multiple other players have stepped up.
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Devin Funchess deserves the biggest nod as being Newton’s main target this season. With one game left the third year player has already put together his most productive season. What’s most important is that his statistical explosion occurred right when Benjamin was traded, showing that he’s ready to step into those shoes. Along with Funchess, Ed Dickson, Russell Shepard and Damiere Byrd are finding important ways to contribute when their numbers are called.
Newton and Jonathan Stewart are still options 1 and 1A for the Panthers run game. But rookie Christian McCaffrey is showing that he’s ready to play a bigger role there as well. McCaffrey has had an impressively productive rookie season with more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns.
Expect the Panthers to continue to lean upon him as an option throughout the postseason. Curtis Samuel was also having a strong year in a multi-use format until being put on the injured reserve back in November. The Panthers run game will be on full display during the playoffs and it will be interesting to see how they mix in multiple players to keep opposing defenses on the back foot.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Jets land QB, Cowboys replace Dez
2017 has been a year for the Carolina Panthers to expand and try new things. Whether it was due to injuries, trades or other reasons, multiple players who are new to league or didn’t have much exposure were pushed to the forefront. For the most part, the team has performed well and is looking to continue that narrative throughout the postseason. The question now becomes whether or not these role players will continue to exceed all expectations when the lights and attention are both the brightest.