Sleeper Watch

Ouch! Panthers RB Stephen Davis underwent arthroscopic knee surgery today, and is expected to miss the rest of September’s games, possibly only returning in late October. In the meantime, DeShaun Foster takes over as the focus of Carolina’s ground attack.

The Panthers are fortunate to have a solid backup plan in Foster, who should be able to keep the offense rolling until Davis’s return. Hopefully, if you were counting on Davis to anchor your fantasy squad’s running game, you also drafted a solid backup capable of picking up the slack; otherwise, the next few weeks could look bleak.

As one of the top #2 RBs in the NFL, Foster probably won’t be available as a free agent in most fantasy leagues. If, however, the second-year back went undrafted in your league, make a sprint for the wire and grab him immediately. Foster should perform well in the weeks ahead, and could also pay dividends if offered as trade bait to the unlucky owner who now has to fill the hole left by Davis.