The Carolina Panthers will face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18. Right here’s fantasy soccer start-sit recommendation for each Panthers and Falcons talent participant who has the potential to make a fantasy influence in the course of the sport.
In search of extra lineup recommendation? Head over to our Week 18 Fantasy Begin-Sit Cheat Sheet, the place we cowl each fantasy-relevant participant in each sport.
Michael Penix Jr., QB
Michael Penix Jr. has seemed the a part of a future fantasy asset, however we aren’t there simply but. Regardless of exhibiting some good poise and endurance by means of two begins, he completed safely outdoors of the highest 20 on the place in each outings.
Fantasy managers ought to love his willingness to crush his high choice with targets, as that’s a simple field to examine and a technique to elevate your fantasy flooring. There’s a fantasy talent set in his profile, however we simply aren’t there but.
Bryce Younger, QB
Bryce Younger has a number of landing passes with out an interception in consecutive video games – he had one such sport beforehand on his NFL résumé. There is sufficient to like in Younger’s profile for the Panthers to maneuver ahead with him labeled as ”the man” for this rebuild, and I proceed to love the upside of the items he has at his disposal.
… for subsequent season.
… or possibly 2026.
Not Week 18. The Falcons are enjoying for a playoff berth, and their cross protection has seemed higher currently (even in a loss final week, they held Jayden Daniels to six.3 yards per try).
Andy Dalton threw for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions for Carolina towards Atlanta in Week 6, a stat line that I feel is on the excessive finish of optimistic for Younger this weekend. That’s not going to be sufficient to repay beginning him in most single-QB codecs.
Tyler Allgeier, RB
Tyler Allgeier has 11 single-digit carry video games this season and is fairly clearly Robin to Bijan Robinson’s Batman.
At this level, he’s most likely lower than a “Robin,” however my film information could be very restricted, in order that’s one of the best I’ve acquired for you.
In Week 6’s assembly with the Panthers, this was rather more of a committee scenario. Allgeier out-carried Robinson and he led the staff with 105 dashing yards, a job that could be very a lot a factor of the previous. Atlanta has come round to the thought of Robinson being the point of interest of its offense, and I can’t think about that adjustments in a must-win spot.
Allgeier has caught all 11 of his targets; that’s nice, however simply 86 routes run by means of 17 weeks is extra regarding than the right catch price is encouraging. He’ll once more rank as an elite handcuff in 2025, nothing extra.
Raheem Blackshear, RB
It was robust to get a really feel for this Carolina backfield sans Chuba Hubbard final week in a 34-point loss, however the last product was about what you’ll have guessed.
Nada.
As a staff, the Panthers ran 13 instances for 39 yards. Their longest rush towards the Bucs was eight yards; if that’s going to be the case, I actually don’t care who’s getting the work.
Raheem Blackshear led the way in which with eight carries (20 yards) and initiatives as my favourite this week, however that also lands him a methods from mattering in most codecs, particularly with Miles Sanders on the mend.
Hubbard had success on this matchup again in Week 6 (18 carries for 92 yards with 5 catches for good measure). I’d be shocked if this backfield as an entire acquired to half of that manufacturing.
Chuba Hubbard, RB
It was found on Friday that Chuba Hubbard is coping with a Grade 2 calf pressure. With nothing to achieve, the staff has elected to close him down.
It’s been an exceptional season for the 25-year-old again. Whereas he received’t have an opportunity to complete issues, he did sufficient to earn a increase along with our belief in 2025. This season, Hubbard posted seven top-10 PPR finishes, mixing quantity (19.5 touches per sport) with effectivity (4.8 yards per carry and a 79.6% catch price) and giving Bryce Younger a stage of stability that allowed him to indicate indicators of upside.
With Jonathon Brooks sidelined for the foreseeable future, Hubbard will enter subsequent season with a transparent characteristic position and thus deserving of a top-20 rating on the minimal.
I’m going to love him greater than that attributable to my liking of this offense’s upside. I’m mentally ready to be watching loads of Panthers video games subsequent fall.
Bijan Robinson, RB
Bijan Robinson has 4 video games this season with a number of dashing TD, tied for essentially the most in a season in Falcons historical past. He’s reached 20 touches in 5 straight video games and is lastly getting used within the style that we’ve been begging for.
Benefit from the experience — it’s going to be costly to get into the Robinson enterprise once more subsequent season.
We’d like a higher pattern earlier than studying too far into these splits, nevertheless it’s by no means too early to begin trying:
Desmond Ridder underneath heart: 2.71 yards per carry earlier than contact
Kirk Cousins underneath heart: 2.99 yards per carry earlier than contact
Michael Penix Jr. underneath heart: 3.13 yards per carry earlier than contact
We’re taking a look at a participant who was taken with the eighth decide within the 2023 NFL Draft, and I feel it’s a lot cheap to suppose he goes larger than that in fantasy drafts for the foreseeable future. His shifty nature in area and quantity position on the bottom places him on a Christian McCaffrey-like path, a reputation that I take advantage of not often with regards to evaluating utilization.
Miles Sanders, RB
Week 18 Standing: QUESTIONABLE
Miles Sanders (ankle) averaged 3.3 yards per carry final season and wasn’t environment friendly this 12 months in his restricted work earlier than touchdown on IR (3.7 yards per keep on 38 carries) forward of Week 11.
Chuba Hubbard vacates loads of quantity, however how helpful is that this position actually? Hubbard has produced under expectations on a per-touch foundation, and if the contact distribution is unknown, assigning worth to any backup RB is a danger I’m not keen to take.
The scoring fairness is proscribed on this Carolina offense as is, and that actually doesn’t change when enjoying a motivated Falcons staff seeking to win the division. Sanders has scored simply twice on 215 touches with the franchise; if he can’t add to that complete, you’re swimming upstream to mine top-30 worth from anybody on this backfield.
Jalen Coker, WR
Jalen Coker has seen the slot position that he was occupying at factors in the midst of the season decline with Adam Thielen wholesome and enjoying properly, one thing that has confirmed deadly to any projectable fantasy upside.
The rookie managed to earn simply two targets on 31 routes final week in Tampa Bay, and I concern that this week might look related. By seven weeks, Coker’s aDOT was 10.4 yards, nevertheless it has sat at 13.1 yards since. That 26% rise could not appear to be a lot, however in an offense that struggles with consistency down the sector, it issues.
Coker is a part of an attention-grabbing younger core of cross catchers that I’m assigning extra upside in 2025 than most, however that doesn’t imply getting forward of issues and investing this week.
Xavier Legette, WR
Week 18 Standing: QUESTIONABLE
Xavier Legette is the YOLO choice on a staff that’s routinely falling behind and, thus, pressed into an aggressive sport script. The rookie ran simply 25 routes final weekend in Tampa Bay, and but, he completed the sport with 142 air yards, a loopy price for a participant who shouldn’t be sometimes featured.
In idea, these two sentences ought to have me recommending Legette this week, particularly towards a motivated opponent and on a quick observe. Carolina ought to be enjoying catch-up for almost all of this sport, and with a younger nucleus of gamers, ought to be seeking to throw something and the whole lot towards the wall to see what sticks.
Fantasy matchups, nevertheless, will not be received on idea alone. We simply noticed A.J. Terrell give Terry McLaurin matches, and I fear Legette might fall sufferer to an identical destiny. Even when he have been to get free on a deep route or two, are we assured that Carolina’s offense pays it off?
The Panthers rank backside 10 when throwing lengthy passes this season in passer score, yards per completion, and interception price. This position that Legette holds could also be one we goal sooner or later, however for proper now, it affords extra danger than reward.
Drake London, WR
Week 18 Standing: PLAYING
Drake London’s ascent to fantasy stardom could have simply wanted Michael Penix Jr. to take over. We’ve seen him submit larger stat traces than final week (don’t get me mistaken, I’m not complaining about 7-106-0), however the absolutely featured position that the Falcons have positioned upon him and that the rookie is continuous to execute is what has me excited each for this weekend and transferring ahead.
Final week, he had two extra catches than any two of his teammates had targets. That doesn’t occur accidentally and Penix’s willingness to look his approach on quite a lot of routes has me downright giddy.
Week 16: 6.5 aDOT
Week 17: 13.7 aDOT
London has a 33.9% on-field goal share throughout Penix’s two begins and posted a 34.5% goal share when first assembly with the Panthers in Week 6. I’d be extra shocked for those who informed me this week that London completed outdoors of the highest 20 receivers than inside the highest 5 on the place.
Darnell Mooney, WR
Up to date at 5:50 AM ET on Sunday, January 5NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport studies that Mooney, listed as questionable with a shoulder damage, is taken into account an extended shot to play.
Darnell Mooney has cleared 70 air yards in each of Michael Penix Jr.’s begins however with very totally different outcomes, manufacturing traces that weren’t skewed attributable to a landing.
Week 16: 74 air yards, 9.8 anticipated factors, and 13.2 pointsWeek 17: 78 air yards, 8.0 anticipated factors, and 5.7 factors
I feel that’s what we’re going to see as this offense adjusts to Penix (this week and doubtlessly within the postseason ought to they qualify). The do-or-die nature of this sport is sweet, however my lack of readability as to how a lot work I can moderately pencil in for Mooney has him outdoors of my high 35 receivers this week.
Final week, Drake London noticed 13 targets whereas Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, and Darnell Mooney break up 15 evenly. Atlanta’s WR2 was operating sizzling coming into the Week 6 assembly with the Panthers and managed solely three catches and a 17.2% goal share.
There’s simply as a lot danger as reward on this Week 18 profile, and that has me looking elsewhere to fill my Flex spot.
Adam Thielen, WR
The Adam Thielen expertise has been distinctive over the previous two seasons, because it has featured two sizzling streaks (11 video games) and below-average manufacturing in any other case (16 video games):
Sizzling streaks: 21.4 PPG, 25.5% over expectation
In any other case: 8.4 PPG, 9.9% under expectation
The Panthers are going to compete on this sport and so they may cowl, however what motivation have they got to crush their veteran receiver with utilization?
None.
That doesn’t imply they received’t, NFL groups baffle me with their decision-making weekly. Nonetheless, it does imply we have now to tread evenly, as Jalen Coker is a rookie who might use these reps much more.
This offense seemed totally different again in Week 6, however Andy Dalton fed Diontae Johnson 27% of the targets, and he turned them into practically 20 PPR factors. That slot position is more likely to maintain worth, and whereas I’ve Thielen as the favourite to earn most of that work, I’m not overly assured within the precise price.
He presently sits as my WR29 this week and is a participant I’d moderately roll the cube on than a veteran like Calvin Ridley, who doesn’t have a rookie QB to work on growing.
Kyle Pitts, TE
Did anybody else get flashbacks watching Kyle Pitts make huge performs towards the Commanders final week?
For me, it was much less concerning the performs on the sector (we get these once in a while) and extra concerning the sucking us again in. We see a promising younger QB are available and bump up the worth of a participant with elite pedigree and profile – this has all of the making of Lucy holding the soccer for Charlie Brown once more.
Pay attention, I’m not all the way in which out on Pitts (he has 4 top-10 finishes this season and I’m guessing that’s greater than you thought), however I’m going to want a lot multiple information level to undo the injury that Pitts has completed to many a redraft/dynasty/DFS roster.
In taking a step again from the Week 17 pleasure, you’ll notice that Pitts’ goal price in two Michael Penix Jr. begins (16.3% of routes) is true in step with the speed we have been beforehand complaining about (16.9%).
Pitts had a 52-yard catch within the Week 6 matchup towards the Panthers and is enjoying for a extremely motivated staff – that’s what has him on the perimeter of TE1 standing for me this week greater than his huge play final week.
Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE
Ja’Tavion Sanders confirmed good playmaking potential early within the season, however he’s now an afterthought and could be safely left alone this week.
The rookie has been on the sector for underneath 60% of Carolina’s offensive snaps in 5 straight video games and over his previous three contests, he’s earned simply three targets on his 82 routes. His current trajectory provides me little confidence that he can repeat the five-catch efficiency he gave us towards Atlanta again in Week 6. I’m retaining Sanders on my radar for 2025 sleepers on the place, however that breakout doesn’t seem more likely to begin on Sunday.
