Panthers: Olsen's career year

In a year when Carolina Panthers needed a receiver to step up after losing Steve Smith to free agency, it was a tight-end answered the call instead.

Greg Olsen has been vital and dependable part of the Panthers offense ever since his arrival in 2011, but this season has been something special.  He’s notched career-highs in receptions (84) and yards (1,008), to go along with six touchdowns. Olsen’s +11.8 receiving grade is second only to Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski among TEs.

As a run blocker, he’s posted a steady stream of “green” grades this season, and if not for a rough outing in Week 11 against Atlanta, would rank among the Top 10 in run block grading.

While Olsen isn’t often asked to pass block (11% of pass plays), he’s been perfect on his 67 snaps this year, not allowing a single QB pressure.

With that type of reliability in all phases of the game, the Panthers simply can’t afford to have him on the sidelines and as a result, he’s played 97% of the team’s offensive snaps.

Olsen's performance has not gone unnoticed and he was named as one of the two NFC starters to the 2015 Pro Bowl.