The NFL Fantasy Football Matchups Column with Adam Pfeifer: Week 10 Game Breakdowns (FREE)

Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers

Total: 47

Line: GB -5

Panthers passing game

Cam Newton is now officially done for the season, meaning it will be the Kyle Allen show in Carolina for the rest of the season. Outside of that game against the Buccaneers, Allen hasn’t been anything special for fantasy purposes but has held his own for the Panthers, completing nearly 61 percent of his passes with a 9:4 TD:INT ratio in his six starts. I still rarely get excited about using Allen in fantasy but it is worth noting that the Green Bay pass defense has taken a big step back lately and over the last four weeks, the Packers are surrendering the second-most yards per play. Still, they are coughing up just 15.1 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, the eighth-fewest in the league. Allen is nothing more than a bye week replacement in deeper leagues.

I have no clue why DK doesn’t like Curtis Samuel. He was just $4,300 last week and after going for 3-64-1 on Sunday, his price jumped up to just $4,600, which is still way too cheap. Very quietly, Samuel is getting some high-value targets, ranking fifth in the league with 16 deep targets, while handling 50 percent of Carolina’s targets from inside the 10-yard line on the year, tied for the second-highest rate among all wide receivers. Samuel remains a viable WR3 play and is still far too cheap on daily sites.

D.J. Moore has played well this season but has been unlucky in the touchdown department. He has just one touchdown on the season but suddenly, he’s become the top target in this passing game, seeing at least eight looks in each of the last four games. Green Bay has some strong corners but Moore’s speed could make it difficult for the bigger, slower Kevin King to stay with him. Like Samuel, Moore is a viable WR3 option with a tad more upside.

Panthers running game

Just play Christian McCaffrey. I really don’t believe I need to provide a ton of analysis as to why you need to play the best player in all of fantasy football. He leads the league with an 89.3 percent opportunity share, while also ranking fourth in carries (165) and third in targets (53). The Packers have been one of the worst run defenses in football this season, coughing up 1.1 rushing touchdowns and 128 rushing yards per game. They are also allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing backfields.

Packers passing game

Week 9 was a rough one for the Green Bay offense. Aaron Rodgers and company just couldn’t sustain drives in Los Angeles and as a result, pretty much everyone from this offense was a major disappointment. Heading into Week 10, Rodgers should still be viewed as a solid QB1, especially with his top receiver back in action. However, I definitely don’t love the matchup, as the Panthers are coughing up the seventh-fewest yards per completion this season (9.5) and eighth-lowest touchdown rate (3.3 percent). Rodgers is back at home so he should have a solid game. I’m just not sure he has a great one.

It was great to see Davante Adams return last week and while the seven catches for 41 yards doesn’t excite you, I just loved seeing him at full strength and not suffer any setbacks. Adams still hasn’t found the end zone this season, something that is absolutely going to end sooner or later. It could easily end this week, especially if James Bradberry (groin) can’t play. The stud cornerback left last week’s game with the injury and has yet to practice this week. Meanwhile, the Panthers are allowing touchdowns on 69.2 percent of opponent’s red zone scoring chances, the highest rate in the NFL. Adams should be viewed as a top-seven wide receiver play and I love his discounted price tag in daily leagues.

Packers running game

Aaron Jones let a lot of fantasy owners down last week, totaling 29 yards on nine touches. Green Bay’s offense was shut down for the first three quarters of the game and then they eventually fell behind, limiting Jones’ touches. Jones played 60 percent of the snaps in this game, while Jamaal Williams was at 44 percent. Williams scored another receiving touchdown, giving him four straight games with a receiving score. Jones is still the preferred back in fantasy and has a great chance at bouncing back in a big way this week. The Panthers allowed two more running back touchdowns last week, giving opponents eight running back touchdowns over the last three weeks of play. Consider Jones a back-end RB1, while Williams will continue to be a viable flex option as long as he continues to see 8-12 touches each week.