The Panthers missed a great shot at controlling the division by slipping up last week in New Orleans, but they get a chance to turn things back around in another huge divisional matchup against the Bucs, who they face again in Week 18. The Panthers could be without their top receiver, though, since rookie Tetairoa McMillan is battling an injury. If McMillan is out or limited, Jalen Coker would be a great fantasy football sleeper this week.
Who else would get a fantasy football boost? What’s the latest on McMillan? Let’s break down the latest info from Carolina, to see where we can find some fantasy football value this weekend across multiple kinds of contests.
Tetairoa McMillan injury update
McMillan had a quiet week in Week 15, totaling a season-low 25 receiving yards on just two catches. While he didn’t leave the game with an announced injury, he missed practice on Wednesday with a “foot/ankle” designation.
Coach Dave Canales said that McMillan got “rolled up on” during Sunday’s game and was held out of practice Wednesday with the hope that he’ll be ready to return to practice tomorrow.
While Canales doesn’t seem to concerned about his availability for Week 16, McMillan leads the team in catches (59), targets (102), receiving yards (851) and receiving touchdowns (6). The rookie first-round pick as served as the No. 1 option in the passing game all season, so if he’s limited at all or forced to miss the game, there would be more work available for the rest of the team’s pass-catchers.
Jalen Coker revving up
I highlighted Coker in my top waiver wire pickups for this week even before the McMillan injury popped up. Coker caught all four of his targets for 60 yards and a touchdown in the team’s loss to the Saints, finding the end zone for the second straight week.
Coker had plenty of hype coming into the year as the team’s second receiver behind McMillan but suffered an injury just before Week 1. After making his season debut in Week 7 Coker took a while to find his groove, but he’s been productive over the last few weeks and could be lined up for more work.
In each of his last five games, he has four targets and at least three catches. He hadn’t scored until Week 13 before the bye week, and scored coming out of the bye week as well.
If McMillan gives up any turrets to Coker, Coker’s big-play ability will give him a good upside against the Bucs, who have allowed 11 wide receiver touchdowns this season and an average of over 150 yards per game to the position.
Other potential producers
Other pass-catchers could also get more work and bring potential upside include Xavier Legette, who had two catches for 39 yards last week against the Saints. Legette had a pair of monster weeks with 83 yards, a touchdown and 18.3 fantasy points against the Falcons in Week 11, and he also had 24.2 fantasy points against the Jets with nine catches for 92 yards. Other than those two games, though, Legette has struggled overall with under six fantasy points in six of his last seven.
Rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. has flashed a little upside, but has only had two targets in the last five weeks, catching them both for 18 yards.
Tommy Tremble is also worth a look as a flier play if targets are available since the Bucs have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this season. Tremble has multiple targets in three of his last four weeks and hauled in two catches for 13 yards. He and Ja’Tavion Sanders are sharing time, but Tremble has a little more upside.
The Bottom Line
Whether McMillan plays or not, Coker is a great fantasy football sleeper option and can be a flex option in most leagues. Coker isn’t locked into a starting role in standard leagues, but he is quickly rising and McMillan’s absence could put him over the top.
In single-week DFS contests on DraftKings, headlined by the NFL $2.25M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st], Coker is a great value at $4,400. He will likely be one of the top sleepers at wide receiver this week, while Legette and Tremble are bargain fliers who could pay off if McMillan’s vacated targets open up more potential work for them against the Bucs.
