Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers (1.13)
Stewart capped his abbreviated Oregon career by leading the Pac-10 in rushing with 1,722 yards—fifth-best total in the nation—and closed with a 253-yard effort in the Sun Bowl. While the numbers were gaudy, it was the prospect of a 235-pound beast moving at a 4.48 clip in the 40 that made him so popular on draft day, the second back off the board. He’s a powerful runner who is also adept in pass protection—an underappreciated skill that frequently prevents rookies from staying on the field—and a fluid receiver to boot. He also has experience returning kicks, leading the nation with a 33.7 yards-per-return average as a freshman and ranking sixth (28.1) as a sophomore; say, didn’t Adrian Peterson return kicks last year? The knock on Stewart is his history of foot and ankle injuries, including the turf toe surgery that landed him in a protective boot this spring. Keep in mind, though, that he played with the injury from mid-November on (including that 253-yard game) and ran that 4.48 40 at the combine about two weeks before undergoing surgery.
Fantasy Outlook:
Stewart is The Huddle’s top-ranked rookie running back for a reason; actually, for several. Not only is he arguably the most complete back entering the league this season, he’s also the one heading to the best situation. In Carolina he gives John Fox the power back he’s been aching for since Stephen Davis ran out of gas; moreover, the Panther line is heavy on run blockers—especially after trading back into the first round to land tackle Jeff Otah. DeAngelo Williams may open the season as the starter, but sooner rather than later this job share will be at worst a two-to-one proposition in favor of the beefier back. Concern about the toe injury that had Stewart in a walking boot during minicamp might drive his fantasy stock down a bit, but he’s already out of the boot and should be good to go for training camp. He’s ideally built to take the money carries, and don’t be surprised if he’s shouldering the bulk of the workload before the leaves are off the trees.
 You must be a Huddle Member to continue reading this article or feature. |
|
