Tetairoa McMillan Set for Another Huge Game vs. 49ers After Breakout Performance

Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan exploded in Week 11 and now heads into a juicy Week 12 matchup vs. the injury-ravaged 49ers defense with league-winning fantasy momentum.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) looks on during warm ups prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

There was never any doubt about the talent that Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan has. However, he's had a bit of an up-and-down rookie campaign. That can be blamed on him making a jump to the NFL, or more likely, the subpar quarterback play of Bryce Young and Andy Dalton. In Week 11, he exploded and was a league winner for his fantasy owners. On Sunday, he caught eight of his 12 targets for 130 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 16.3 yards per catch, and his longest reception went for 39 yards. While he has had some other big games this season, this could be his true breakout game.

Tetairoa McMillan Poised to Dominate Vulnerable Niners Secondary

We are expecting him to carry this momentum over into their Week 12 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. The 49ers' defense has been devastated by injuries this season. So far this season, they have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, and they are only getting worse. In Week 11, they allowed 15 receptions for 185 yards to Michael Wilson. McMillan is a much better wide receiver than Wilson.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh speaks with 49ers safety Malik Mustapha (6) in the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

McMillan's Late Season Schedule Is Fairly Juicy

In Week 13, he has another solid matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. They are very tough against the run, but they are a middle-of-the-pack defense against wide receivers in the bottom half of the league when it comes to slowing down fantasy wide receivers. This is a very good defense that you have to attack on the outside if you want to move the ball on them, which sets up well for the rookie wideout.

The following two weeks aren't bad matchups either. He'll be going up against the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New Orleans is a matchup that could end up being a bit dependent on game script. It's not that you can't throw on them, but they can't score. Because of that, opposing teams often just don't have to throw against them because they have a comfortable lead and end up throwing the ball a lot more. 

Tampa Bay is the exact opposite situation. They are a team that can and will score against the Panthers, and they will have to keep throwing the ball. They are allowing the 11th-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. That should be another great matchup for McMillan to kick off the playoffs in most leagues.

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If you have T-Mac, you should be thrilled about the breakout. He's now set to have a huge second half of the season like we have seen from so many rookie wide receivers in the past.