Week 8 is fast approaching, and we have to get those lineups ready to go. This week, the Green Bay Packers are taking on the Carolina Panthers. We are approaching the midway point of the fantasy season, so it’s time to lock in and get the lineups set. Now is the point of the season where we start to make our push for the fantasy playoffs. It’s not the time to give up, as there are more moves and lineup adjustments to make. So do the homework and lock your lineups in this week. Don’t forget that we have more bye weeks to deal with. The Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and the New York Giants are on byes for Week 8, so their players aren’t available.
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Thursday Night Preview: Packers vs. Panthers
Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love has been living up to the hype so far this season, and it’s paying off for fantasy managers. Love enters Week 8’s Thursday Night Football game against the Panthers ranking as the QB9, per FantasyData.com. Love is averaging 18 fantasy points per game and has been lighting it up over the last few weeks. Love has been scoring 15+ fantasy points over his last three games, and 20+ fantasy points in two of his last three games. Love is also averaging 7.2 yards per attempt and has 1,958 yards with a 13:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Now he’ll go up against a Panthers defense that is allowing the third-fewest passing yards in the NFL. The Panthers defense ranks 18th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks at 17.4 FPPG, so there’s still a lane for Love to work with for fantasy football.
The Panthers’ real issue comes with who they have to deal with coming out of the backfield. Josh Jacobs has returned to the NFL after missing the start of the season due to his off-the-field issues. Jacobs is not just a solid rusher, but his usage in the passing game makes him an even more dangerous opponent for a defense that got run on into oblivion against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Panthers allowed 106 yards and two touchdowns to Bucky Irving (24 FP) in Week 6. Jacobs, in his first game back against the Detroit Lions, finished with 91 scrimmage yards, a receiving touchdown, and 20 fantasy points. Jacobs should be in line for a good game against a Panthers defense allowing 30.2 FPPG (second-most).
Here’s where it gets a little tricky. Recent reports have wide receiver Matthew Golden listed as Questionable for the game. Golden is dealing with shoulder and ankle issues heading into the contest. On a short week, these could be the reasons why he may not be ready to go. Head coach Matt LeFleur stated that he is “hopeful” that Golden can go for Thursday Night. If Golden can’t go, that is a big loss for the Packers’ passing attack. Golden is averaging nearly 10 targets per game. Golden also ranks fifth in targets among wide receivers after seven weeks of football. Golden also ranks as the WR15 in fantasy points per game at just over 15 fantasy points per. Christian Watson would be one of the main beneficiaries if Matthew Golden is ultimately ruled out for Week 8.
Watson is having a good season so far, averaging 18.5 FPPG and ranking as the WR6 in said category. Watson is Jordan Love’s serious threat in the Packers’ passing attack. Watson is also averaging eight targets a game, so any extra work that comes from Matthew Golden’s absence would likely trickle to Watson. Watson is averaging 10.6 yards per target and has 595 receiving yards and six touchdowns to his name. The Panthers’ defense against receivers is pretty good, allowing the third-fewest receiving yards, per Fantasydata. The Panthers are also allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers heading into Week 8.
Tucker Kraft is another player who could be an option for fantasy lineups. Kraft currently ranks as the TE10 in fantasy football, averaging 10.2 FPPG. Kraft would be the other beneficiary for more targets if Matthew Golden can’t play against the Panthers. Kraft is averaging about six targets per game and has nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns this season. The Panthers rank 15th in fantasy points allowed to tight ends at 13.3, making the matchup viable for Kraft owners to start him.
Carolina Panthers
For the Panthers, Bryce Young is looking to bounce back after getting smacked around by fellow NFC South division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In Week 7, Young crashed back to Earth after a solid start, finishing the game with 5.4 fantasy points. Before the Week 7 meltdown, Young was averaging 22.5 fantasy points per game and ranked as the QB4 for fantasy. Now he gets the Packers defense, allowing the 12th-fewest passing yards to quarterbacks. The Packers are one of the better units against fantasy quarterbacks, allowing just 15 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Young’s 12:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and just over 1,700 passing yards make it easy to plug him into your lineup.
If Young struggles a bit, he has a good running back to lean on in Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard has been much better this season, averaging 4.8 y/a and averaging 18 fantasy points per game. Hubbard must’ve heard all the down talk from last season because he has many people eating their words after seven weeks of football. Hubbard is also useful in the passing game out of the backfield, already seeing 18 targets for 122 receiving yards. If there’s any bigger “chink” in the Packers’ defensive armor, it’s against the run. The Packers are allowing 115 yards per game to running backs. They are also allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, at nearly 27 FPPG.
Young will have Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker as his top two options in the Panthers’ passing game. Coker is coming back from a shoulder injury and a low fantasy performance against the Bucs. Coker is averaging 14 FPPG heading into the game against the Packers. With the Packers giving up nearly 36 fantasy points per game, Coker is in a good spot to have a bounce-back game. Same with Tetairoa McMillan. McMillan is the WR1 for the Panthers, but his fantasy season so far feels a bit on the quiet side. McMillan is averaging 16 fantasy points per game, but his production is being lifted by a monster 45-point game against the Detroit Lions in Week 5. McMillan has two other games with double-digit points, but he’s only cracked 15 fantasy points just one other time. Like Coker, this is a good matchup for McMillan to bounce back.
The Panthers tight ends are the only position fantasy managers should be wary of. Tommy Tremble and Darren Waller have been inconsistent this season. Tremble is averaging just 6.9 fantasy points per game. Waller is only slightly better at 8.6 fantasy points per game. Both have had one big game over 15 fantasy points this season. Both tight ends are barely averaging five targets per game. This is where I would try to find better options at the tight end position. Fantasy managers should avoid using either of these Panthers tight ends.
Final Thoughts
The wide receivers from both teams have a chance to do some real damage this week. The Packers’ Christian Watson and Matthew Golden from a volume standpoint, and the Panthers’ McMillan and Coker because of the matchup. The tricky part is whether or not to trust Bryce Young. Young has flopped as a fantasy quarterback before, but this season it feels different. Maybe Young has earned the benefit of the doubt this season. I think you can play both quarterbacks and get some decent production out of them. You have to ride the hot hand with Jordan Love this week against the Panthers’ defense. I like Tucker Kraft in this game, even more if Golden doesn’t play. I’m not touching the Panthers tight end. I’m hitting the waiver wire for other options before throwing either Tommy Tremble or Darren Waller in my lineup. The running backs Josh Jacobs and Chuba Hubbard are both startable players for fantasy this week. No reason to bench them so get them in there.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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