Deangelo Williams- Good News and Bad News
Alex Dunlap, RosterWatch.com

I am starting to get a distinct taste in my mouth. That not-so-fresh taste of $43 million pee in your Cheerios.

If you’re a Deangelo Williams fantasy football owner, there’s good news and there’s bad news. If you take a look back through Williams’ career game log, you will notice a distinct and undeniable pattern.

The Good News:
He has never gotten off to a fast start. Ever. He has been stinking up his first 4 games since entering the league. Regardless of coaching or surrounding personnel to bite into carries. We know he is capable, and fully able to operate at a high level in this league even given the presence Jonathan Stewart. The one consistent variable has been that he has never rushed for more than 86 yards in any of his first four games entering a season. And 86 looks like a monster compared to some of the dirty diaper burritos he’s left in fantasy owner’s mailboxes through the years. A lot of those games were 14-37’s and 15-54’s, etc. Whether he goes off this year or not, history tells us to expect this.

The Bad News:
You picked a guy with your fourth or fifth round pick who has 43 total rushing yards, a 7 carry decline in rushing volume from game one to game two, and roughly as many recieving yards as Andy Reid could jog without getting slightly winded.

He’s also got a new coach. A new philosophy. Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera said something today at his presser that reminded me of something the Trashman might have told me as a very rehearsal-adverse former band mate:

“It’s about the the rhythm and flow of the game.” (dude.)

He went on to mention he was “not concerned” about the lack of rushing production from any back.

That is bothersome. Cam Newton being a 10 foot-tall gunslinging/running robot from outer space all of the sudden is bothersome. The focus is shifting about how this offense should be run and how it will identify itself. It is shifting in the mind of a Defensive-Minded head coach who would obviously love to improve the current state of affairs he has inherited on the defensive side of the ball while letting Cam go bananas on offense.

For now, I’m listening to history. Plus, you can’t sell on Deangelo now. If you own him, hold. If you do not you should check the pulse of his owner to see if he’s panicked and might unload him for pennies on the dollar. If not this week, maybe after week three as his owner is stewing over getting delivered the probable third of Deangelo’s hat trick of fantasy stink bombs. It’s risky and ill-advised to make trades this early in a season, so only make a move if it causes no detriment to your current starting roster.