Baller Move: Handcuff to Jonathan Stewart, stash away
Owned In: 8% of Fleaflicker Leagues
Analysis: 16-0 is definitely on everyone's mind in Carolina, but Panthers coach Ron Rivera doesn't only want to win. He wants his team to be healthy for a playoff run.
According to ESPN.com, the Panthers are likely to give starting running back Jonathan Stewart rest this week. The word on the street is Cameron Artis-Payne will inherit the bulk of the workload over Fozzy Whittaker.
Stewart is listed as questionable this week with a foot sprain and missed the second half of last week's game against the Atlanta Falcons. According to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, Stewart was seen walking around practice with a boot on his left foot. The team should report an update on his status later in the day on Wednesday.
If Stewart can't go, Artis-Payne appears to be the next guy up, despite being inactive the past four weeks. This could be a perfect opportunity to get Artis-Payne some work, although he isn't exactly trustworthy for fantasy lineups. If he produces in his debut and Stewart misses an extended amount of time, Artis-Payne is a great guy to stash away and plug in if the time is right, especially for Stewart's owners.
The Panthers head into a favorable matchup against the New York Giants who have given up the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs this season, according to Yahoo! sports. But in four games this season, Artis-Payne has only 31 rushing yards on 12 carries. He proved himself at Auburn, but it remains to be seen if he can produce under the bright lights of the NFL.
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