The Carolina Panthers are somehow above .500 and playing some of their best football of the campaign. However, a test against the San Francisco 49ers on Week 12’s edition of Monday Night Football will truly put this team to the test on the national stage. Can this offense keep up on the scoreboard to play a competitive game tonight?
Here are the best Tetairoa McMillan prop bets for Panthers vs. 49ers on Monday Night Football in Week 12.
Best Tetairoa McMillan prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
The No. 8 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, Tetairoa McMillan shows all the signs of a franchise wideout at the young age of 22. While there have been some slower weeks while catching passes from an inconsistent Bryce Young, the wideout has caught 54 balls for 748 yards and four touchdowns on the year while garnering 86 targets. Those numbers place him 12th in receptions, sixth in receiving yardage, and seventh in targets among all players at the position around the league. He also ranks 12th in PFF receiving grade league-wide and comes off the best performance of his career thus far — just last week, he posted eight catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime win over the division-rival Falcons, delivering the coming-out party we’ve been waiting for.
At 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, McMillan towers over defensive backs and isn’t afraid to use his frame to his advantage. He provides a massive target for Young but has also shown surprising speed for his stature, blending athleticism with those physical gifts you just can’t teach. A matchup with a depleted 49ers defense places the young star in prime position to follow up last week’s game with another big outing, too. San Francisco ranks 27th in defensive EPA/pass, allows the second-highest completion percentage in the league as well as the fifth-most passing yards per game, and has given up the fourth-most passing touchdowns at 21 on the campaign. While the Panthers love to run the football in a system built to pound the rock, the 49ers aren’t a pushover by any means and will almost certainly put points on the scoreboard to ensure this game is competitive as well. With a neutral game script likely on deck, McMillan can soak up targets as the primary option as per usual.
DraftKings Sportsbook sets McMillan’s lines for tonight at O/U 4.5 receptions, 68.5 receiving yards, and a longest reception of 22.5 yards as well. His odds to score an anytime touchdown are listed at +155, fourth-best of any player in this contest.
The 49ers really don’t have the personnel to match up with McMillan, but then again, few teams do. He’s a walking mismatch and sees a target share of 26.89%, a team-high and the 13th-highest of any NFL wideout. The first-round pick typically gets peppered with passes, and the 49ers’ defense ranks far worse through the air than on the ground. That sets up an opportunity for the Panthers to throw a little more than usual, and after Young posted a massive stat line of 448 yards and three touchdowns with 45 pass attempts last week, Carolina’s staff may feel more inclined to let their quarterback sling it. All of these factors set up the over on McMillan’ receptions line here.
Since the wide receiver has five or more targets in six of his 11 games this year along with at least eight targets in eight games, it makes a lot of sense to check out a volume-based play. Bettors can snag over 4.5 catches at -152 odds, but 6+ receptions at +127 provides far more value. With the amount of looks that typically head his way, the rookie should absorb plenty more opportunities tonight in a game in which Panthers may need to pass to keep up. His anytime touchdown line is another to consider as well, especially as the focal point of this passing attack.
Best Bet: Tetairoa McMillan 6+ receptions (+127)
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