Olsen (rest) is active for Sunday's game against the Saints.

Analysis: Although he did not produce much in the first matchup against New Orleans, the shootout potential Sunday paired with his steady involvement in the Panthers' offense make Olsen a viable option in Week 17.

Olsen (non-injury) is probable for Sunday's game against New Orleans.

Analysis: Olsen only caught one pass against the Saints earlier this year, but he's quietly been consistently good in recent weeks. He has 31 catches and four touchdowns over the last seven weeks.

Olsen (non-injury) practiced fully Thursday, the Panthers' official site reports.

Analysis: Olsen was one of seven veterans given the day off by the Panthers to rest Wednesday, but his return to the field Thursday confirms that he'll be out there Sunday against the Saints.

Olsen (coach's decision) did not practice Wednesday, the Panthers' official site reports.

Analysis: Olsen, along with seven other veterans, were given the day off to rest Wednesday. There is no concern with any of these Panthers, so expect Olsen to be active Sunday at New Orleans.

Olsen finished Sunday's win over the Raiders with six catches for 53 receiving yards.

Analysis: Olsen, who saw seven targets Sunday, led the Panthers in both catches and receiving yards. While he managed just one catch for 13 yards in the Panthers' first game against the Saints this season, Olsen should be in line for a bigger performance next week, considering New Orleans allowed 416 passing yards in their game this week.

Olsen faces prime matchup vs. Raiders

In his Week 16 "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" analysis, Michael Fabiano notes Olsen "remains a solid option against the Raiders, who have surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends on the road." FULL START 'EM, SIT 'EM

Analysis: A top-five tight end, Olsen has scored 10-plus fantasy points in two of his last three games. Still, he's a free agent in 47.1 percent of NFL.com leagues.

Olsen made five catches for 56 receiving yards in Sunday's win over the Chargers.

Analysis: Olsen clearly benefitted from injuries that limited the availability of wide receivers Brandon LaFell (turf toe) and Louis Murphy (hamstring) on Sunday. His nine targets tied a team-high and his regular involvement in Carolina's offense give Olsen decent value in the latter portion of the season.

Olsen caught four passes for 55 receiving yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Falcons.

Analysis: Olsen's 25-yard first quarter touchdown opened the scoring Sunday and the Panthers never looked back. The tight end has now seen the end zone in consecutive weeks, boosting his late season value.

Newton effective early

Newton connected with Greg Olsen for a score in first quarter action against the Falcons. FOLLOW WITH GAME CENTER

Analysis: The quarterback has jumped out to a solid start, completing all seven of his passes for 63 yards.

Olsen (back) is active for Sunday's game against Atlanta, the Charlotte Observer reports.

Analysis: With Brandon LaFell banged up, Olsen could see extra targets from quarterback Cam Newton on Sunday as the tight end and No. 2 receiver on most offenses rarely have big games on the same day.

Olsen (back) is probable for Sunday's game against Atlanta, Panthers.com reports.

Analysis: With Brandon LaFell (turf toe/foot) looking less than likely to play, Olsen could have a bit more prominence than usual in the Carolina passing game Sunday. He's still not an ideal starting option in most leagues.

Olsen (back) was limited at practice Thursday, the Panthers' official site reports.

Analysis: We'll revisit Olsen's status Friday, but we'd expect him to be out there Sunday against the Falcons, with more targets potentially available thanks to Brandon LaFell's toe injury.

Olsen (back) did not practice Wednesday, the Panthers' official site reports.

Analysis: Despite being targeted 15 times over the past three contests, Olsen has gathered in just seven of those passes for 139 yards and one touchdown. Atlanta, his opponent Sunday, has allowed just four touchdown to opposing tight ends this season, so he may find the going tough in this one. More important than his matchup, though, is his status, which Friday's injury report should clarify.

Olsen made one catch for 47 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Chiefs.

Analysis: Olsen's first quarter touchdown catch marked his only statistical contribution in Sunday's game and his longest play of the season so far. With four targets, Olsen did see some looks in Carolina's offense, but he surely will aim to have more receptions next week.

Newton throws two TD passes

Newton jumped out to a fast start against the Chiefs, notching two touchdown passes behind 116 yards passing in just over one quarter of action. Steve Smith leads all receivers with two catches for 42 yards and a score. FOLLOW WITH GAME CENTER

Analysis: TE Greg Olsen had added a catch for a 47 yard score as well in the matchup.

Olsen make four catches for 50 receiving yards Monday night against the Eagles.

Analysis: Olsen saw five targets and was one-of-four Panthers players who had 50 or more receiving yards Monday night. Even though fellow tight end Gary Barnidge caught a 24-yard touchdown, Olsen has now seen 40 targets over his past six games, proving his involvement in Carolina's offense.

Olsen grabbed two balls for 42 receiving yards Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Analysis: Olsen saw six targets throughout the game, but was unable to come close to his Week 10 success of 102 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He is a mid-level tight end that is not a bad start on a weekly basis, although more explosive options definitely exist.

Olsen caught nine passes for 102 receiving yards and two touchdowns Sunday.

Analysis: Olsen also led the Panthers in targets for the second consecutive week with 10 on Sunday. His two red zone touchdowns should encourage fantasy owners, especially given Carolina's dismal running game this season. It seems that by using their tight end more often, the team can bypass discouraging run attempts.

Olsen caught five passes for 48 receiving yards Sunday against the Redskins.

Analysis: Olsen was a visible beneficiary from Brandon LaFell (concussion) missing Sunday's game and his team-high nine targets serve as evidence. While LaFell should be back for next week's game against the Broncos, Olsen's performance Sunday indicates the trust quarterback Cam Newton has in his tight end.

Olsen a Week 9 sleeper

In his "Week 9 Sleepers" analysis, fantasy expert Adam Rank notes, "the Redskins have allowed the second-most fantasy points to tight ends this season." READ: WEEK 9 SLEEPERS

Analysis: Olsen has just 10 targets in his last two games, but look for the number to increase this week.

Olsen made three catches for just 23 yards in Sunday's loss to the Bears.

Analysis: Olsen was blanketed by his former team and unable to get much going on Sunday. After a stretch of lackluster games, Olsen is due for a productive day.

Olsen had four catches for 31 receiving yards against the Cowboys on Sunday.

Analysis: Olsen has failed to crack 40 receiving yards in each of his past two games. Next week, he faces his former team, the Bears, so that may provide the incentive he needs to have a bounce-back game, although that Chicago defense is stingy.

Olsen had two catches for 37 yards Sunday against the Seahawks.

Analysis: After back-to-back solid performances, Olsen struggled alongside the entire Panthers' offense. With a bye next week, fantasy owners who start Olsen will have to look for an alternative.

Olsen had six catches for 89 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Falcons.

Analysis: Another solid game for Olsen, who has eclipsed 85 yards in back-to-back games. He led the Panthers in targets, catches and receiving yards Sunday and appears to be Cam Newton's favorite target after Steve Smith.

Olsen had seven catches for 98 yards Thursday against the Giants.

Analysis: Olsen led the Panthers in targets (14), receptions and receiving yards Thursday and put up the type of game many fantasy owners have been expecting from him. He's got a nice relationship with quarterback Cam Newton but needs to be more consistent to warrant additional fantasy consideration.

Olsen had one catch for 13 yards Sunday against the Saints.

Analysis: A disappointing performance for Olsen, who was targeted only three times Sunday. The Panthers needed Olsen to block more, as they ran the ball 41 times for 219 yards after a dismal Week 1 performance on the ground. That will be Olsen's biggest issue moving forward; he is a pass-catching tight end on a team that loves to run the ball and therefore needs as many blockers as possible.

Olsen had six catches for 56 yards during Sunday's loss to the Bucs.

Analysis: Olsen was targeted seven times by Cam Newton, good for second on the team behind Steve Smith's 11. The tight end remains a decent fantasy option, although he isn't likely to light up fantasy scoreboards if he can't get into the end zone.

Olsen did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday, but head coach Ron Rivera said it's only for rest and not because of injury, the Charlotte Observer reports.

Analysis: Olsen has been a popular target for Cam Newton this preseason and the expectations are slowly rising for the former Bear. With Jeremy Shockey no longer on the team, Olsen could become the Panthers' second best receiver behind Steve Smith.

Olsen had three catches for 29 yards during Sunday's preseason win against the Jets.

Analysis: Olsen was targeted a game-high five times and is clearly on the same page as quarterback Cam Newton. If Olsen can replicate what he did last year combined with what Jeremy Shockey did, he could be a very solid tight end option in most leagues.

Olsen remains the clear cut No. 1 tight end in Carolina, the Charlotte Observer reports.

Analysis: The offseason addition of Mike Tolbert should allow Olsen to run more routes and block less, something fantasy owners would surely love to see.

Olsen had two catches for 33 yards during Friday's preseason game against the Dolphins.

Analysis: Olsen had a long 27-yard catch from Cam Newton that fantasy owners will hope becomes a standard move this season. With Jeremy Shockey no longer with the team, Olsen has a big opportunity this season.

Greg Olsen: Opportunity Knocks

Olsen is expected to be a bigger part of the Panthers' passing game now that Jeremy Shockey is no longer with the team, the Charlotte Observer reports.

Analysis: Olsen and Shockey put up solid combined numbers last year (82 catches for 995 yards) and now the former doesn't have the competition around to take targets away. Olsen has shown the ability to be a solid pass catcher, and if he can really get on the same page as Cam Newton, he could make a leap. The Panthers don't have great wide receivers outside of Steve Smith, so the opportunity to step up is certainly there for Olsen.

Olsen failed to catch a pass during Sunday's loss to the Saints.

Analysis: Olsen went catch-less over the last two games of the season, as Jeremy Shockey got a lot more action from the tight end position. Olsen finished the year with 45 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns, a decent total in a run-heavy offense. That being said, he could have been better if Shockey wasn't on the team but that could very well be the case next season.

Olsen (back) had two catches for 15 yards Sunday against the Texans.

Analysis: Fellow tight end Jeremy Shockey had 35 yards and a touchdown, although it's hardly indicative that he's passed Olsen on the depth chart. With only two games left, neither has done enough to warrant a starting spot in most fantasy leagues.

Olsen (back) is active for Sunday's game against the Texans.

Analysis: Olsen was a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday, so you shouldn't expect him to be limited much, if at all, on Sunday. Just be wary as always that his production is spotty at best, and has been gradually declining since the beginning of the season.

Olsen (back) is probable for Sunday's game against Houston.

Analysis: Olsen scored a touchdown against Atlanta last week, but he remains hit-or-miss as a fantasy option.

Olsen (back) practiced fully Thursday, the Panthers' official site reports.

Analysis: Olsen found the end zone in Week 14 for the first time since Week 8, but his average of 40.4 receiving yards per game results in him only being an option in deeper formats.

Olsen (back) did not practice Wednesday, the Panthers' official site reports.

Analysis: Olsen had been dealing with a minor knee injury, but now his back is an issue. He's looking iffy at the moment, although it's still early in the week.

Olsen had two catches for 53 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Falcons.

Analysis: Olsen's 44-yard touchdown was his first since Week 8 and he broke a number of tackles to get into the end zone. The score was nice but Olsen has been a bit of a disappointment overall this season.

Olsen (knee) is active for Sunday's game against the Falcons.

Analysis: Olsen has been disappointing as of late and hasn't done much to separate himself from Jeremy Shockey. However, if he's your guy, he'll be on the field Sunday.

Olsen (knee) is probable for Sunday's game against Atlanta.

Analysis: Olsen's numbers have not been good lately, but he'll be there if you need him Sunday.

Olsen (knee) practiced Thursday, Panthers.com reports.

Analysis: It's not clear whether Olsen was a limited or full participant, but it generally seems as if he should be on the field Sunday, regardless. His fantasy prospects are not so great at this point, however, as he hasn't reached the 25-yard mark since Nov. 13.

Olsen (knee) did not practice Wednesday, according to the Panthers' official site.

Analysis: Olsen hasn't done much on the field lately, so even if he plays Sunday, it's hard to get too excited about him. In any event, check back later in the week for a status update.

Olsen had one catch for 21 yards Sunday against the Bucs.

Analysis: Olsen was targeted four times but was only able to grab one pass. Jeremy Shockey actually had five more receiving yards, although his one catch was the only target he got.

Olsen (leg) caught three passes for 24 yards Sunday against the Colts.

Analysis: Olsen seemed to hurt his leg during warmups, but he was still able to give it a go and tied Jeremy Shockey with the three catches. As long as both players are in there, neither has great upside, though Olsen is definitely the better target.

Greg Olsen: Suffers Leg Injury In Warmups

Olsen was spotted walking gingerly with trainers toward the Panthers' locker room after colliding with a teammate while trying to catch a pass in warmups, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer reports.

Analysis: Although he won't be on the team's inactive list given the late nature of the injury, there's a possibility that Olsen might be limited or forced to sit out Sunday's game as a result. Tread carefully here.

Olsen had three catches for 23 yards Sunday against the Lions.

Analysis: With Jeremy Shockey out, many expected Olsen to have a bigger performance than he did on Sunday. He was targeted nine times, but just couldn't haul in enough passes thrown his way to make an impact.