Wild Card DFS Picks: Panthers Values, Risks, and DraftKings Targets vs. Rams

A full DraftKings Wild Card breakdown of the Carolina Panthers, highlighting salary values, fades, matchup trends, and which receivers offer sneaky GPP upside against the Rams.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws during the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers slipped through the back door of the playoffs after losing their final two games to the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were outscored by 69 points this year. Their best offensive showing in points (31) came against the Rams in Week 13.

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Carolina Panthers Quarterback

The Panthers ranked 27th in passing yards (3,304) and 18th in passing touchdowns (24). They gained only 6.4 yards per pass attempt, with minimal success on the ground (59/214/1 – 3.6 yards per rush).

• Bryce Young (DK – $5,000) – Over 16 games, he averaged 14.94 fantasy points in DraftKings scoring. He passed for fewer than 200 yards in 75% of his games. Despite his bleak outlook, Young offered playable value in four contests (26.30, 19.50, 34.80, and 22.50 fantasy points). He beat the Rams for 229 combined yards in Week 13 with three passing touchdowns.

Carolina Panthers Running Backs

Midseason, Carolina sat atop the running back rushing rankings, but they finished 15th in rushing yards (1,763). They scored only eight touchdowns on the ground, with league-average success in the receiving stats (72/533/4 on 92 targets).

• Rico Dowdle (DK – $5,500) – There hasn’t been a winning sighting of Dowdle in the DFS market since Week 9. When at his best, he delivered three impact outcomes (35.40, 36.90, and 31.10 fantasy points). On the year, Dowdle averaged 13.31 FPPG in DraftKings scoring (10.70 over his last eight matchups). The Panthers had him on the field for 55.7% of their snaps.
• Chuba Hubbard (DK – $4,500) – Hubbard played well over his first three games (46.20 fantasy points in DraftKings scoring) while receiving 53 touches. Over his last 12 games, Carolina averaged only 6.68 fantasy points per game, with only two touchdowns.

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) warms up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Carolina Panthers Wide Receivers

Carolina’s wide receivers caught 179 passes for 2,133 yards and 15 touchdowns on 289 targets this year, ranking them 18th in wide receiver scoring (482.30 fantasy points).

• Tetairoa McMillan (DK – $6,000) – In his rookie season, McMillan finished as the 15th-ranked wide receiver (70/1,014/7 on 122 targets). He had one impact game (12/130/2), with no other contest supporting a 4X outcome for his current salary. His ceiling would be much higher if the Panthers threw more passes (30.3 per game).
• Jalen Coker (DK – $4,500) – Over his last five games, Coker delivered winning stats for his salary in three games (6/74/1, 4/60/1, and 7/47/1), with the first showing coming against the Rams. I expect him to be a popular backed wide receiver on this two-game slate.
• Xavier Legette (DK – $3,300) – Legette brought more bust than boom in his second year with the Panthers. His only two playable games came in Week 7 (11/92/1) and Week 11 (8/83/1).

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) runs on to the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Carolina Panthers Tight End

The Panthers’ tight ends ranked 28th in tight end scoring (171.80). They caught 78 passes for 638 yards and five touchdowns on 99 targets while gaining only 8.2 yards per catch.

• Tommy Tremble (DK – $2,800) – He only has 27 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns on 37 targets this season. Tremble was only playable in two games (Week 4 – 5/42/1 and Week 18 – 3/38/1). Carolina upped his snaps over the past two weeks (77% and 90%). 

Mitchell Evans (19/171/2 on 25 targets) has moved to TE2 in the Panthers’ offense over the past two weeks, with Ja’Tavion Sanders placed on the injured list.

Final Carolina Panthers Thoughts for Wild Card DFS Lineups

The Rams’ defense limited the damage in rushing touchdowns (6) to running backs, suggesting Rico Dowdle is a fade. They will give up some catch (83/650/3 on 111 targets), which gives some hope that Carolina may give their backs a bump in targets in this matchup.

I like Jalen Coker based on his salary, but a chaser game could lead to Tetairoa McMillan picking up some garbage points.