NFL

5 Quarterbacks With Major Touchdown Upside for 2018

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Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

Because I'm one big contradiction, I'm going to open this talking about Cam Newton's past touchdown numbers.

His last three seasons rank first, second and seventh (tied) in terms of single-season rushing touchdown totals among quarterbacks in that time. His 21 total rushing scores in that stretch are 7 more than the next-best mark. And if we just look at his best season of the three (2015), only three quarterbacks would rank ahead of him.

Those scoring numbers haven't been any kind of a fluke, either, as they can be backed up with a look at his opportunity.

He handled 34.1% of the Carolina Panthers' red zone carries in 2017, which was the highest market share for a quarterback and within 3 percentage points of Jonathan Stewart for the team lead. In 2016, that market share was down at 24.7%, but his 19 attempts were still the most for a quarterback. In 2015, he ranked 15th among all players at all positions with 30 red-zone rush attempts.

So unless you're firing up Madden 2004 and playing with Michael Vick, you're not going to find a quarterback with more rushing touchdown upside than Cam Newton.

That's not to say Cam can't get it done through the air, either.

He's not likely to see any shortage of passing volume, having notched 492 attempts in 2017 and no fewer than 448 in any of his seven NFL seasons. He's also ranked top-15 in red-zone pass attempts in two of the last three seasons (including 12th last year), and his 24.7% touchdown rate on those attempts ranks 13th among the 32 quarterbacks to notch at least 100 attempts in the red zone.