Greg Olsen keeps up strong production for Panthers

After four touchdowns in the previous five games, Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen was held out of the end zone Sunday. The tight end still tallied decent fantasy production, though, as he set a season high in yardage as the Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 27-6.

Olsen caught five passes for 85 yards, one higher than his previous season high of 84 yards in Week 2. The tight end now has 611 yards and five touchdowns on 50 catches this season, and has at least eight fantasy points in five of his last six games.

Other than Olsen, no one on the Panthers did a lot in the receiving game. Ted Ginn Jr. and Brandon LaFell each caught touchdown passes, but combined for only five catches and 83 yards, neither doing much outside of those scores. Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith was the yardage leader among wide receivers, but still had only 51 yards on three receptions.

Fantasy impact: Olsen has increasingly proven to be the best -- and, in shallow leagues, only -- fantasy option on the Panthers among the flex players (running backs, wide receivers, tight ends). The running backs -- DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert -- battle each other and quarterback Cam Newton for touches too much for any single running back to be fantasy effective, and the wide receivers have the same problem with the added "bonus" of being by and large very mediocre. Olsen, though, is the team's only real tight end option, and has solidified his TE1 status this season.


(sbnation.com)