Life in the NFL is finicky.
The average length of a player's career is six seasons. For running backs, it's much shorter --2.57.
With just a 16 game schedule, there is little patience for slow starts among teams and players.
For one player, thankfully his coaches recognize potential, stick with him and reap the benefits of a late harvest.
DeAngelo Williams has never rushed for at least 100 yards during the first month of the season.
In 36 games thereafter, he has accumulated triple-digit yardage 16 times.
Fewer than 10 percent of his 31 career touchdowns have come in September, too.
So when Carolina's newly signed starting back struggled in the team's first three games of 2011, it should have served more as a reminder than a concern.
As soon as the calendar flipped to October, Williams once again hit his stride.
In 10 carries Oct. 2 versus Chicago, he amassed 82 yards. Sunday, despite a meager 9 touches, Williams totaled 115 yards and a touchdown.
If the Panthers rely less on Cam Newton's arm and more on the strong running game, Williams could be in store for a season somewhere between his 2008 and 2009 efforts, where he rushed for 1,515 and 1,117 yards, respectively.
Buy low.
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