The Carolina Panthers host the Detroit Lions in Week 11, and both teams are decimated by injuries. For Carolina, Christian McCaffrey has been ruled out and Teddy Bridgewater is questionable with a knee injury. It seems unlikely he’ll play, but the Panthers appear set on taking this to the wire.
It’s tough to tell how the passing game will look if P.J. Walker or Will Grier gets the start over Bridgewater, but it likely means the Panthers will be leaning even more heavily on Mike Davis.
Fantasy Football analysis: Panthers RB Mike Davis
Davis got off to a hot start in place of McCaffrey, but then things went south. In his first five games, he averaged a shade over 20 fantasy points per game. The past four games, part of a five-game losing streak, he’s averaged just over 8.5 points per game.
This week, the Panthers face a Lions defense that ranks 16th in adjusted line yards and dead last with the most fantasy points allowed to running backs. This matchup favors Davis, but more importantly, he’s likely to get extra looks with a big question at the quarterback position. Bridgewater is listed as questionable, but seems a long shot to play. Regardless of if Walker or Grier gets the start, the offense is likely to rely heavily on Davis both on the ground and through the air.
Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation
Start Davis as an RB2.