The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 3 Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans Thursday Night Football game.
| Carolina | Rank | @ | Houston | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -7.5 | Spread | 7.5 | ||
| 25.8 | Implied Total | 18.3 | ||
| 22.5 | 18 | Points/Gm | 29 | 10 |
| 10.5 | 1 | Points All./Gm | 26 | 20 |
| 68 | 7 | Plays/Gm | 66.5 | 11 |
| 51.5 | 1 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 62.5 | 16 |
| 5.6 | 18 | Off. Yards/Play | 5.6 | 16 |
| 3.7 | 1 | Def. Yards/Play | 6 | 21 |
| 44.12% | 10 | Rush% | 51.88% | 5 |
| 55.88% | 23 | Pass% | 48.12% | 28 |
| 33.01% | 5 | Opp. Rush % | 40.00% | 14 |
| 66.99% | 28 | Opp. Pass % | 60.00% | 19 |
- The Panthers are the last team remaining in the NFL that has yet to trail for an offensive snap to start the season.
- The Panthers are averaging a league-best 192.0 more yards from scrimmage per game than their opponents.
- Carolina leads the league in sacks plus turnovers through two weeks (13).
- Through two weeks, Carolina is allowing a league-best 18.8% of passing plays to result in a first down. The league average is 34.8%.
- Houston running backs have accounted for 64.8% of the team touches, the highest rate in the league.
- Houston running backs are averaging 3.6 yards per touch, 30th in the league as a unit.
- The Panthers are allowing a league-low 0.20 rushing points per attempt.
Trust = spike production for that player
Bust = down-week production for that player’s standards
Quarterback
Sam Darnold: Darnold has shown us early on that he can be a floor-based QB2 option in his new home in Carolina. Darnold has averaged 8.0 yards per pass attempt in each of the opening two games in his new offense while completing 68% of his passes in each. Darnold has closed the opening two weeks as the QB16 (19.0 points) and the QB14 (18.9 points) against the Jets and Saints.
This week, he draws a Houston defense that has allowed 19.1 points to Trevor Lawrence and 17.5 points to Baker Mayfield as front-half scoring options each week. Darnold has not thrown more than two touchdown passes in 20 straight starts, but is a floor-based streamer and fringe QB1 with matchup appeal.