Falcons (-145) @ Panthers (+2.5): O/U 42.5

Back in Week 8, these two teams met for one of the most surprising games so far this season, with the Falcons winning a back-and-forth OT game over the Panthers 37-34.  The two teams combined to score on seven-of-eight of the final drives in regulation, including a massive 62-yard bomb to D.J. Moore with 23 seconds remaining. There is an expectation for this game to have some rain, with Tropical Storm Nicole rolling in towards the Carolinas.  The Falcons love to run the ball and are historically one of the most run-heavy teams and matchup against a bottom-three rushing defense.  On the other side of the ball, the Panthers offense is seeking any sort of identity.  Last week, P.J. Walker struggled in an embarrassing manner and was yanked for Baker Mayfield, but Walker has been renamed the starter for this matchup. The Panthers also get Chuba Hubbard back this week, making their backfield even messier.  This game is very likely not going to turn into a shootout like their first matchup, producing only a couple of startable fantasy options as a result.

Falcons

QB

Marcus Mariota: Mariota absolutely balled out in their Week 8 matchup, setting a season-high in yards and touchdowns, while tying his season-high in completions.  In the OT thriller, Mariota completed 20-of-28 attempts for 253 yards, including three touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. He also added 43 yards on six rushes, finishing the week as the overall QB6. So obviously fantasy GMs were drooling when they saw this matchup coming once again, but sandwiched between the pair of Panthers games is a gross outing against the Chargers.  He finished that game with 12 completions on 23 attempts, finishing with 129 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. Mariota’s rushing upside allows him to have a comfortable scoring floor, averaging 6.7 attempts per game.  His range of potential fantasy outcomes is potentially the largest in the NFL at the position, but fantasy GMs should definitely consider rolling the dice with Mariota. 

RB

Cordarrelle Patterson & Tyler Allgeier: These two backs split the workload last week against the Chargers terrible rushing defense, but it was Patterson who had the crucial goal-line work, scoring twice. In his first game back, Patterson only saw 39% of snaps but still handled 13 rush attempts, hauling in his one target. In their first matchup, Allgeier had a RB13 finish, rushing for 39 yards on 14 attempts, alongside 46 yards through the air on three receptions, scoring once. Last week, Allgeier rattled off a 44 yard rush, totaling 99 yards on only 10 attempts. Patterson is a starting option in all formats, while Allgeier is also worth a look since he has earned a permanent role on this offense with his great play during Patterson’s absence. 

Want to read the rest of our fantasy preview while you’ll also get access to the rest of our premium content? You’ll need to have a FANTASYPASS membership. Click here to learn more and sign up! 

TE

Premium Access Required: