Kickoff: Sunday, November 21th at 1 PM ET
Location: Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC
Betting Odds: CAR, -3.5, 43.5 Total on Sports Line
Network: FOX
Washington Football Team
Quarterback
Taylor Heinicke (Sit)
Taylor Heinicke loves playing Tampa Bay 😳
pic.twitter.com/peV0tg9Glw— PFF (@PFF) November 14, 2021
Taylor Heinicke played a good game against the team that made him famous last season, this time taking the win from the Bucs. Heinicke has played gutsy the entire season and while he hasn’t been a world-beater for fantasy, he does rank as the QB17 through Week 10. Heinicke has put up five top 12 performances, including a top 5 performance against the Atlanta Falcons. The problem with playing the Panthers is they have allowed the second-fewest yards (1,927) and the fourth-fewest TD (13) to opposing QBs. This isn’t the matchup to play Heinicke unless you need a low-end QB2.
Running Backs
Antonio Gibson (Start), J.D. McKissic (Flex)
Antonio Gibson puts @WashingtonNFL up by 10! #WashingtonFootball
📺: #TBvsWAS on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/bv8eeTtCBz— NFL (@NFL) November 14, 2021
Antonio Gibson came alive last week putting up 2 TDs, and 64 yards on the toughest run defense in the league. Gibson is still dealing with a shin injury, but it’s hard to sit a guy who just broke out against the Buccaneers. Over the past 4 weeks, the Panthers have allowed 90 yards/game to opposing RBs. That being said I think Gibson is an RB2 this week against the Carolina Panthers. J.D. McKissic is averaging 7 targets/game and 6 receptions/game in the past four games. McKissic faces a tough challenge with the Panthers’ run defense, which has been particularly good against receiving backs only allowing 244 receiving yards (third-fewest) and 1 touchdown (second-fewest) to opposing RBs. For me, McKissic is always a playable flex, but it’s tough to play him in any other format than PPR.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Terry McLaurin (Start), Ricky Seals-Jones (Sit), DeAndre Carter (Flex)
Heinicke to DeAndre Carter!#WashingtonFootball leads 13-0.
📺: #TBvsWAS on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/YmIiqQue8J— NFL (@NFL) November 14, 2021
Terry McLaurin has averaged 9 targets/game and has four games with 10 or more targets this season. McLaurin has had three big games, of which he averaged 19.7 fantasy points. In the other six games, McLaurin averaged 4.8 fantasy points/game. The Panthers don’t allow a lot of fantasy points (17.4) to opposing WRs. While I think McLaurin isn’t the best option this week, he gets targeted enough to justify a start as a WR2 this week. Ricky Seals-Jones came out of last week with a hip injury, and Logan Thomas has yet to practice. If Seals-Jones plays this week, he’ll have a tough matchup, as the Panthers have allowed 68.2 fantasy points to opposing TEs this year. For me, this is a no-go as a TE play during week 11. DeAndre Carter is someone that might be a deep flex play this week. The return man turned to 6 target/game wide receiver is looking to continue his streak of 6 targets, 3 receptions, 50+ yards, and a TD stat line to three weeks. He’s a WR4/flex this week.
Carolina Panthers
Quarterback
Cam Newton (Start)
CAM NEWTON TD. HE’S BACK. 👏
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/2DIyYQGH3T— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 14, 2021
Cam Newton is back!! Fantasy managers are stoked that he’s back too. He’s the goalline golden goose, the guy who scored 2 TDs (one passing and one rushing) and 20 TDs last season (eight passing and 12 rushing). Newton has a good chance in this game to score multiple times and rush for 50-100 yards. One thing to point out is that the Washington Football Team has allowed the seventh-most rushing yards (219) to opposing QBs. Look for Newton to possess low-end QB1/high end QB2 type of potential in this game.
Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey (Start), Chuba Hubbard (Sit)
Christian McCaffrey cooking Isaiah Simmons pic.twitter.com/P8vM8NOpbH
— Johnny Kinsley (@Brickwallblitz) November 15, 2021
Christian McCaffrey is an RB1 start any given Sunday that he boots up. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing against, you never sit a healthy McCaffrey. Chuba Hubbard is someone I’m sitting him until he gets a solid workload, since McCaffrey has returned, Hubbard has been lucky to see 20% of the offensive snaps. He’s a good handcuff, but he is not playable this week.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
DJ Moore(Start), Robby Anderson (Sit), Terrace Marshall (Sit)
The concentration from DJ Moore here on the double catch…. pic.twitter.com/r7QTU3ptCQ
— Schuyler Callihan (@Callihan_) November 16, 2021
I’m hesitant about this wide receiver group’s potential going forward with Newton as the QB. Cam Newton isn’t a strong passer and will take most red zone opportunities. Last week DJ Moore and Robby Anderson were recipients on PJ Walker‘s throws. Newton will not pass the ball 25 times so that being said I’m going to say that Moore will be the alpha and in PPR will be a WR2. While Anderson had a good week 10, I don’t expect that to roll over into Week 11. Sit Anderson this week.