If you think I said he won't do well then you're guilty of selective reading. My stance has always been I don't think the risk/reward is worth it given the alternatives, nothing's changed.
I have never suggested that your opinion has changed. I suggested that you're going out of your way to justify not changing your opinion. How risky would he need to be not to be ranked in the top 10 dynasty QBs? How much risk would there need to be to justify not valuing a 23 year old with a top 10 QB season ever, followed by another top 2-3 season? How much more upside does he need to display before we stop looking at his personality quirks and analyzing them, as if the NFL is just going to black ball him for pouting?
Yet, you're claiming he is only playing well now because he is out of the playoff race and there is no pressure. Yet, last year, he had his best 4 game stretch EARLY in the season, when there would be pressure, right? I think that is selective criteria, right there.
Dynasty is completely different, I'm talking just for 2013. If he were the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th QB off the board as I was beginning to think he might be then I was going to consider taking the dive. I really don't want any part of him in dyno, not for what his owners will demand. Re, pressure. I don't think there wasn't pressure for him to produce early, people were excited but he was a special athlete with warts in most people's eyes coming out. If he had started off poorly and progressed as the season went on he would have been considered a year 1 success. Carolina had no playoff aspirations entering last year, so the pressure wasn't there early. It was more, show us what you can do kid, and he did. Then as expectations increased his play became more spotty and as the losses piled up his frustration could be seen, on and off the field. That carried over into the beginning of this year. It's just now going away. Is it because the pressure is off? or is he maturing? Depends what you thought about him a year or two ago. The optimists are going to trend towards maturing, those who were down on him like me aren't. It makes sense.
Comfort factor is something I think more owners need to consider when picking players for your team. If Cam has a rough few games, has a blow up at a press conference, and has teammates talking behind his back you're going to stick with him whereas I am going to panic. I have dealt with Antonio Gates for years, lots of owners can't stomach the thought of it. Yes, he's special when he's on the field, but too often he's not and those 4 o clock west coast games drives some owners crazy. They aren't comfortable whereas I am, take the good with the bad, and make sure I always have a plan B on standby. Finally burned me this year, but he gave me 5 good years and two titles, I'd say that's worth it. I was also willing to deal with the headaches, don't think I would be with Cam, and it really comes down to the alternatives at the QB position. They are plentiful whereas at TE they usually are not.