Fantasy Football 2021 Team Previews: Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears Fantasy Preview 2021

All ADP data is courtesy of Fantasy Pros.

** = target in drafts at this ADP

Top 120

Christian McCaffery, RB (ADP: 1): McCaffery’s case is easy. He’s as slam dunk of a No. 1 overall pick we’ve seen in a long time. CMC will touch the ball more than every single non-QB player in football, he is the best all-around RB in the game, and he checks every single fantasy-relevance box. Yes, CMC got hurt last season and only played in three games; he had played in 16 games in each of the previous three seasons, and in those three games, McCaffery averaged 125 yards from scrimmage per game. You could make a case for other players at No. 1 overall that would be credible, but don’t get cute. At 1.1, just take McCaffery and enjoy the season.

D.J. Moore, WR (ADP: 54): Moore wasn’t quite a disappointment in 2020, as he finished the year with nearly 1,200 receiving yards, but it wasn’t a picnic to have him on your team either. Moore transformed from a target hound in 2019 to a big play threat whose consistency went out the window. He jumped from 13.5 yards per reception in 2019 to 18.1 in 2020, which would be welcomed if his reception total hadn’t dipped by 21. Moore also matched his 2019 TD total of four, and now has banked three straight seasons of fewer than five scores. He still graded well on PFF, and could see improvement if Sam Darnold turns out to be an upgrade at QB. At this point we can’t be sure if Carolina will revert to hyper targeting Moore or utilizing him more as their big play guy, but he’s consistently delivered more than 1,000 receiving yards annually, and seems extremely due for a bunch of TDs. I’d take him at this ADP and bet on the talent.

**Robby Anderson, WR (ADP: 82): Anderson essentially took over Moore’s role last season, leading the team by quite a bit in targets (136) and receptions (95). Formerly used almost exclusively down the field with the Jets, Carolina unlocked a much more complete WR,  and one who appears to be an awesome value due to his low 2020 TD total (3). The biggest knock on Anderson is that he’s very unimposing physically. But that undersells his blazing speed, and, as he showed last year, his ability to get open on a variety of routes. Anderson, like Moore, really underperformed in the TD department compared to his target share, reception total and yardage, and that should improve with Darnold under center. Don’t forget, Anderson has history with Darnold back in their Jets days, and Anderson’s best weeks came with Darnold. I think Moore has more upside than Anderson, but Anderson is clearly the best value on this team.

Fantasy Relevant (121-200 ADP)

Chuba Hubbard, RB (ADP: 163): Hubbard has potential. He put up more than 2,200 yards from scrimmage in 2019 in his second season at Oklahoma State, and has shown he can catch the football. Unfortunately, as long as McCaffery is healthy, he’s not seeing the field. Hubbard should be a coveted pickup if CMC gets hurt again, but I would not burn a roster spot on draft day.

**Terrace Marshall Jr., WR (ADP: 198): Marshall was one of my favorite rookies in this draft, and his ADP is depressed because of the high-level talent he’s fighting for targets. Marshall was not a PPR-type at LSU, never hauling in more than 50 passes in a season, but he did get to 48 last year in only seven games, in a down year for the Tigers. And while his receptions were limited – playing alongside Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase will do that – he scored 23 touchdowns in 19 games over the last two collegiate seasons. Marshall is a monster at 6’2, 205 lbs. and his size is something new to this receiving corps. Yeah, he’s the third banana for now, but so was Curtis Samuel, and he finished 2020 with 851 yards. Carolina’s offense can support a lot of fantasy relevance, and if Darnold improves on Teddy Bridgewater’s performance then there will be quite a few touchdowns to go around.

Sleeper Class (200 & later)

Sam Darnold, QB (ADP: 234): Darnold comes to Carolina with high draft pedigree, some impressive moments to point to as upside, and the excuse of trying to succeed under Adam Gase. It’s all compelling, but at the end of the day Darnold has been pretty terrible as an NFL QB. He threw more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (9) last season, and has never thrown fewer than 11 picks in a season. That is somewhat acceptable if the yardage and touchdowns are a counterbalance, but Darnold has never even thrown 20 touchdowns, and only cracked 3,000 passing yards once (barely). Darnold has the physical tools to be great, but there’s a lot more to success as a QB than that, and he hasn’t shown it at all. I would not completely write him off, but there’s no way I am drafting him outside of two-QB leagues where every starter is owned.

Defense/Special Teams (ADP: 284)

Carolina will be playing in some shootouts, so you can just leave them right there on waivers all year long.