Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 29th, 1:00 ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Network: CBS
Writer: Michael James
Hey gang, Michael James here filling in this week. Today, we’re looking at the Carolina Panthers traveling south to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in this game, which will play a part in who wins the NFC South this season! Tampa Bay is a -400 favorite to win this game with an over/under of 49.5. Let’s see if we can find some fantasy points for the championship week!
Carolina Panthers
Quarterback
Bryce Young: SuperFlex, QB2
The young Bryce Young just turned in his best fantasy performance of the year in an overtime thriller at home against the Cardinals last week. It was the second time he completed two touchdown passes this season, and the second game in a row, he added a rushing touchdown on top of that. Of recent, it seems like this offense is coming together. While the Buccaneers have been stingier to opposing quarterbacks in fantasy, holding three of their last four faced to under 14 fantasy points, that one quarterback who put 23 on them was none other than the Panther QB himself. Here’s what I like: this Tampa Bay defense has been thrown on the most in the league, allowing the second-highest completions for the third-most passing yards on the year. What I don’t like is that it’s the second game of a divisional rivalry where the Panthers are on the road, and the Buccaneers are coming off a heartbreaking comeback attempt that fell short in the final seconds last week and will be coming out angry for this one. I think in the end, Bryce ends his day at the top of a QB2 rating, just crossing over to the floor of QB1 range.
Running Back
Chuba Hubbard: Start, RB2
Another best game of the season as well for this Carolina first option running back, Chuba Hubbard, dropped more than 30 fantasy points last week as he rumbled his way to six yards per carry on 25 attempts. It was his second multi-touchdown game of the season and the third game in a row where he brought in at least four receptions. Five of his last seven games have seen him go for double-digit fantasy points. However, one of those two stumbles was back in Week 13 against Tampa, where the team was battling backing and sent the game into overtime when Hubbard had his only fumble since the bye week, turning it over and clinching the game for the Buccaneers. However, this time around, I think Hubbard’s hot streak handily hurdles this setback, and he will come out just as hungry as he has been in the past few recent games for a high RB2-rated performance.
Wide Receiver
Adam Thielen: Start, WR2
Jalen Coker: FLEX Option, WR4
Adam Thielen has been on fire since Carolina’s bye week and is averaging 8.5 targets per game in his last four games. Bryce’s #1 read of late is going to continue being a solid play for this week as he is averaging 17 fantasy points per game over his last four games, including his WR1-rated performance against the Buccaneers a few weeks ago. With Tampa Bay surrendering some of the most air yards and yards after catch, I like Thielen to go for another with a solid WR2-rated floor here. Jalen Coker had a massive game in week 15, only to follow it up with not even three fantasy points in week 16. Granted, he was one foot in bounds away from a touchdown, but something about horseshoes and hand grenades and relying on rookie receivers who are promoted up the depth chart due to injuries for the championship week leaves me looking elsewhere if I can.
Tight End
Tommy Tremble: Start, TE2
Historically, this season, Tommy Tremble has value in the deeper PPR leagues, and that’s about it. He does not get enough work otherwise to warrant consideration even in half-ppr. However, he did have one good game earlier this season, and that game was against Tampa Bay. The same Buccaneer defense that has been putrid against the TE position in fantasy this year, so perhaps it’s worth a flier if you need a guy this late in the season.
D/ST
I write the weekly D/ST streaming article for QBList, so I’ll throw my two cents in on what I think about the position in fantasy in this game.
Panthers: Sit
This is the 32nd-ranked defense in fantasy. If you’re still alive in fantasy, it’s not because you’re considering starting the Panthers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield: Start, QB1
The #6 QB in fantasy with a realistic chance to finish as #3 by season’s end, he’s #1 in our hearts, and that’s Baker Mayfield. The Panthers have given up the most passing touchdowns in the league, and the last time Baker didn’t throw more than one touchdown was in Week 13… against the Panthers. However, I’m sticking with my narrative that last week’s loss will motivate the Buccaneers as they fight to make it into the playoffs as the NFC South representatives, and Baker is going to punish a Carolina pass rush that is dead last in overall pressure metrics on the season. Since that last game against the Panthers, Mayfield has put up three 20+ fantasy point games in a row, going over 275 passing yards with multiple touchdowns in all three of them.
Running Back
Bucky Irving: Start, RB1
Rachaad White: Start, RB2
Tampa Bay rolls with an RB1a and RB1b out of their backfield as, barring that injury tweak a few weeks ago, both Bucky Irving and Rachaad White have split snap counts and ball-handling duties since the bye. The Panthers have the league’s worst rushing yards allowed, and it is not close. Part of that is due to this previous game earlier in the season, where the Buccaneers racked up over 200 yards rushing. Irving has two 100+ rushing yard box scores in his last four games, including the 152 one earlier against the Panthers. White has gone for at least 60 total yards per game and three touchdowns over his last three games. Carolina has been gashed in just about every game this season on the ground, and I don’t see that changing for this one.
Wide Receiver
Mike Evans: Start, WR1
Jalen McMillan: Start, WR3
I think Baker cares about the yards Mike Evans still has to go to break 1000 for the season, and, oh, by the way, he historically destroys the Panthers, especially when a playoff position isn’t secured yet. Since 2022, Evans has been averaging 11.8 targets and 126 yards per game against Carolina specifically. A harder decision is where Jalen McMillan will land, as the rookie has come on strong of late, averaging 18 fantasy points per game over the last three games. However, that’s because he has four touchdowns in that span, and trying to predict touchdowns works great up until the game, but it doesn’t. Still, the targets are enough to provide a WR3-rated floor, which will only jump higher if he finds the endzone for a fourth straight game in this one. For the record, he had less than five fantasy points earlier this season when the two teams met, but I think it’s clear something has clicked between him and Mayfield since that game, and expectations can be higher now.
Tight End
Cade Otton: Start, TE2
Boy, wasn’t that a fun time when Evans missed time and Cade Otton averaged over 20 fantasy points per game for a three-game stretch there in the middle of the season? However, that was then, and this is championship week, so all day-dreaming aside, Otton is enough to warrant a spot in PPR leagues that don’t have an every-week stud, but expectations are to be tempered as he only has 10 receptions across four games since their bye week.
D/ST
Buccaneers: Stream
I feel like underestimating this Panther’s offense in the back half of the season is a risky move. However, the Dallas defense put forth a blueprint recently on how to effectively handle them, and guess who Tampa Bay just played last week. Still, it’s the second meeting with a divisional opponent, and all bets are off. Since this is a home game for the Buccaneers, I think they will look to buckle down, considering what is on the line for them when it comes to positioning to make the postseason. You can check out my weekly D/ST streaming article on the site for more information!
No mention of how yall feel with Hollywood Brown? He looked decent last week with limited reps even