Carolina Panthers vs Houston Texans
Carolina Panthers
Quarterback
- Kyle Allen: 24/34, 232 yards, 3 sacks, 3 fumbles
Kyle Allen was bound to disappoint in this one after throwing four touchdowns last week. His performance was miles from last week: he missed a couple deep throws that could have broken this game wide open. Oh, and there were the three times he coughed the ball up to the defense. Still, Allen made some good choices in his second consecutive start. There were at least a couple plays where I remember him dodging a rusher to keep a play alive. Call it growing pains or a lucky start last week…I could still go either way. Allen is far from a useful weekly option, but I still like him in the right matchups. Next week against the Jaguars (if Newton is still out) is not the right matchup.
Running Backs
- Christian McCaffrey: 27 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD | 10 targets, 10 receptions, 86 yards
It wasn’t always easy today, but Christian McCaffrey ended with one of his trademark stat lines. His longest run was 13 yards, but the Panthers stuck with it and he nearly hit the century mark. McCaffrey was much more effective as a pass-catcher, pulling down all ten of his targets. It felt like he had lots of room on almost every catch. His best play on the day was a catch in the second half. It appeared overthrown, but McCaffrey still got a hand on it and managed to pull it in. He is my top receiver of all running backs, and it’s fun to watch him play. In case there was any doubt, he’s a no-brainer RB1.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Curtis Samuel: 7 targets, 3 receptions, 32 yards | 1 carry, 1 yard
- D.J. Moore: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 44 yards
- Greg Olsen: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 5 yards
- Jarius Wright: 6 targets, 5 receptions, 59 yards
Oh, what could have been. I keep waiting for the “Curtis Samuel game” and this one was close to making my dreams come true. Samuel broke free on two long plays that could have two huge gains. The first one turned into a defensive pass interference; Samuel did a great job drawing the flag. The second fell incomplete (off-target) as Samuel again ran for nothing. I am confident the breakout is coming, though outings like this will pop up on the path. Until he shows more consistently, Samuel remains in flex territory for me.
D.J. Moore was the other Panthers receiver worth mentioning today, and he made a few good catches. Each of his three grabs went for a first down, and I think a more offense-friendly day could have seen him put up a more impressive line. If he was on the Chiefs or Patriots, he’d be a no-doubt WR1. As it is, he remains a flex option for me along with Samuel.
Greg Olsen saw some looks his way but he never found any room to run. He clearly isn’t the weapon he once was, and it looks like he’ll only get what the defense gives him. Knowing that the Panthers’ QBs are Kyle Allen or banged up Cam Newton, Olsen feels like merely a streaming option to me.
Houston Texans
Quarterback
- DeShaun Watson: 21/33, 160 yards, 6 sacks | 3 carries, 12 yards, 1 TD, 1 fumble
Yikes. This was not a good game for Deshaun Watson, and that makes two stinkers in his last three outings. Watson was frequently being chased as his line collapsed, forcing off-target throws, including two big shots that could have changed the outcome. The first one came towards the end of the first half with Watson missing Will Fuller streaking down the field. In the second half, it was an overthrow to DeAndre Hopkins. If Watson wants to lead the Texans back to the playoffs and anywhere close to a Super Bowl, he has to be much better than this. Watson has two beautiful “get right” matchups against the Falcons and Chiefs, so keep on starting him as your QB1.
Running Backs
- Carlos Hyde: 12 carries, 58 yards | 5 targets, 4 receptions, 6 yards
- Duke Johnson: 6 carries, 56 yards | 3 targets, 2 receptions, 22 yards
I think we know what Carlos Hyde is at this point in his career. He is a starter, but one who will be mostly volume and touchdown-dependent. Hyde is good at taking what the offense gives him, and he found some space against the Panthers’ defense. I’m sure Carolina was okay giving up some space to Hyde as long as it meant shutting down the passing game. Like Watson, he has two nice matchups ahead and he has a great chance to find the endzone. Just don’t expect a true RB1 ceiling.
Duke Johnson had a monster 40-yard run in the second quarter that led to a Texans field goal. He followed his blocking to the outside and then burst up the sideline. He avoided an early tackle and then ran free down the sideline until a linebacker caught him. Johnson doesn’t see the necessary volume for real relevance and it’s pretty clear to me he’s unlikely to ever get that chance.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- DeAndre Hopkins: 8 targets, 5 receptions, 41 yards | 0/1, 1 INT
- Will Fuller: 6 targets, 3 receptions, 23 yards
- Kenny Stills: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 24 yards
- Jordan Akins: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 21 yards
- Keke Coutee: 3 targets, 1 catch, 11 yards
If you own Will Fuller or DeAndre Hopkins, I feel for you. Both receivers had the chance for big plays, but both were missed as mentioned earlier. When your quarterback only puts up 160 yards and no touchdowns, everyone is bound to have a stinker. Deandre Hopkins did see eight targets, but he never found much space to work. Kenny Stills looked good early before leaving with a hamstring injury in the first quarter. Will Fuller and Keke Coutee were both quiet and I wouldn’t feel good starting either guy against most opponents. That being said, the next two matchups are the Falcons and Chiefs. The Falcons are giving up plenty of points, so I could back a Fuller play. The Chiefs will probably score 40, so the Texans will have no choice but to score. Stick with the Texans offense for two more weeks…then we’ll re-evaluate.
— Mike Miklius