The Carolina Panthers may have lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night football, but they are still in the hunt for postseason play. Thanks to the resurgence of quarterback Cam Newton, the NFC South team has been a welcomed surprise of the 2013 season. If the Panthers are going to make it into the playoffs they might have to do so without running back Jonathan Stewart.
ESPN.com reports Stewart will undergo an MRI on Monday after injuring his right knee in the loss to the New Orleans Saints. The team medical staff originally ruled the injury a knee contusion, but now it is looking like things could be more serious. Stewart was hit in the knee by linebacker Keenan Lewis after a catch and run for 16 yards. He was able to get up on his own power, but limped off to the sideline.
Head coach Ron Rivera told media that the Panthers are fearing the worst with Stewart. The Charlotte Observer referred to the injury as very serious and could possibly end Stewart's season as quickly as it started. The running back sat on injured reserve for the first eight weeks after undergoing offseason ankle surgery. The knee problem is just another on the long list of durability issues.
With Stewart out, Mike Tolbert and DeAngelo Williams will shoulder the rushing load. After a down 2012, Williams is seeing strong results in 2013, making him the better running back for fantasy purposes. After getting benched in Week 7, the veteran has become the product of efficiency, making the most of his time on the field. He put up 52 yards on 13 carries against a tough Saints defense, but in the remaining weeks of the season, Williams faces favorable rushing defenses, including the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons.
"It's not about the numbers with me," said Williams. "If I can get out there and chip block a guy, if I can pick up a blitz, if I can catch a ball downfield and put our team in a better situation on second and third down, I think people lose sight of that because of fantasy football and things of that nature."
Williams is leading the team in rushing which is hard to do with Newton as a quarterback. He has 662 yards on the year, averaging 55.2 per game. He also has quality hands, putting up 171 yards on just 20 catches. As injuries stack up around the league, Williams could be a solid option.
