Jonathan Stewart was missing in action for the Carolina Panthers in their Week 16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He rushed seven times for 19 yards and lost a yard on his only catch in the game. Stewart has been terrible since his big game in Week 14 with 54 total yards in the last two games. The 10th-year veteran leads the Panthers’ running backs in carries, yards, and scores. He has taken a backseat to rookie RB Christian McCaffrey the last two games, however.
Sunday, Stewart has a bad matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons play well against the run, limiting backs to the seventh-fewest yards in the league. They have only given up six rushing touchdowns to the position this season. Stewart had 11 carries for 21 yards in their first meeting in Week 9.
Fantasy impact: It is hard to trust Stewart in the final game of the season. He should have a decent workload because the Panthers are playing for a shot at a division title Sunday. However, the Falcons play really well versus the run, and Stewart is also coming off of a terrible game against the Bucs. He will be a bust without a score Sunday, and those will be hard to come by against the Falcons. The bench is the best place for Stewart in the final game of the season.