Everyone loves consolation prizes! This is a good one for Panthers fans in the midst of a woeful performance against the Falcons. According to team stat guru Will Bryan, running back Christian McCaffrey just became the first player in NFL history to record over 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the first 10 games of a season.
Impressive stuff.
There’s no reason for McCaffrey to be out there, but he’s padding his stats in garbage time anyway. Carolina trails Atlanta 29-3 with a few minutes to go.
Analyzing key Week 11 NFL prop bets that seem poised for a pay-day, featuring props around Michael Thomas, Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook.
[jwplayer JLUmLtYE]
Every week, BetMGM releases individual player prop bets that bettors can place wagers on. We’ve’ picked three players from three games that we believe will pay off Sunday afternoon. This week is our “Sunday Eggs” edition — three over-easy.
Saint Michael
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas. / Derick E. Hingle – USA TODAY Sports
The over/under for receiving yards for Saints WR Michael Thomas in Tampa Bay is 104.5 (-118 on both). That is a huge number, but Thomas has rolled off three straight games with more than 110 receiving yards and has hit the mark in four of his last five — including 11 catches for 182 yards and two TDs when the Saints played the Buccaneers last month. Coming off the team’s worst offensive performance of the year look for the Saints to come out firing and Thomas being in the middle of it. Take the over.
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Run (and run, and run) CMC
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey. / Jeremy Brevard – USA TODAY Sports
This is another tough number. The over/under is 93½ yards (-118 on both), but Christian McCaffrey has topped 100 yards rushing six times this season, including in each of his last three games and four of the last five. The Panthers host Atlanta on Sunday, and the Falcons’ defense stinks. Plus, the Panthers need a win to stay in the playoff chase. Take the over.
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Still Cookin’
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. / Brace Hemmelgarn – USA TODAY Sports
Denver’s run defense has been improved, but Dalvin Cook is leading the NFC is rushing for a reason — he gets the high-volume number of touches needed to do so. He is averaging 20 carries a game and the Vikings will look to dominate the undermanned Broncos at home by feeding Cook early and often. With an achievable number of 84.5 rushing yards (-118 on both), take the over.
Now that you have the skinny on what to do with each player, visit BetMGM to place a bet on your favorite NFL Prop Bets now. For additional sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com now and for a complete set of today’s live odds, access them at USA TODAY Sports.
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Jets WR Jamison Crowder is tied for the seventh most catches without a drop in the NFL with 48.
The Washington Redskins allowed Jamison Crowder to walk in free agency. Now, as they prepare to face the Jets, they may be kicking themselves for allowing one of the league’s most productive slot receivers to go without much of a fight.
Crowder has been as reliable as they come in his first season with the Jets. He’s already one of Sam Darnold’s favorite receivers, and that may have something to do with how sure his hands are.
This season, Crowder is tied for the seventh-most catches without a drop in the NFL with 48, tied with Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey.
Most catches without a drop (charted by @ESPNStatsInfo) this season: 1. Michael Thomas: 86 2. Chris Godwin: 60 3. Austin Ekeler: 57 4. Austin Hooper: 56 5. Allen Robinson: 53 6. Larry Fitzgerald: 50 T-7. Jamison Crowder: 48 T-7. Christian McCaffrey: 48
Crowder signed a three-year deal worth $28.5 million with the Jets and has quickly established himself as the team’s most reliable receiver. He leads the team in both receptions and yards with 42 and 486, respectively.
Before joining the Jets, he studied Adam Gase’s offenses and how he would fit that mold. He studied the coach’s history with slot receivers, going through tapes of Wes Welker and Jarvis Landry with the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins, respectively, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
For quite some time, the Jets have lacked a trustworthy receiver who can space the field like Crowder. Jeremy Kerley was the closest thing resembling that, but a receiver of Crowder’s caliber hasn’t owned the middle of the field since Wayne Chrebet.
It’s clear through nine games that Crowder has carved a Welker- and Landry-like role for himself in Gase’s offense. Despite offensive struggles, Crowder has always posed as a significant threat in the slot.
With Chris Herndon sidelined for the season between a four-game suspension, a nagging hamstring injury and a broken rib that landed him on IR, Darnold has been forced to find a new security blanket.
Crowder has emerged as a dependable option due to Darnold’s increasing trust in the receiver. With his sure hands, it only makes sense to continue to get him involved going forward. After four catches in the first two drives against the Giants in the Jets’ 34-27 win last Sunday, the targets stopped coming for Crowder.
That should change on Sunday. The Redskins have struggled against the slot all season and with the defense’s inability to get off the field on third down, Darnold will surely be targeting his new favorite receiver in his return back to Washington this weekend.
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Week 11 of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for Week 11 of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
QUARTERBACKS
LAMAR JACKSON- $7700 DRAFTKINGS, $8800 FANDUEL
Lamar Jackson is averaging 28 DraftKings points per game and is coming off another dominating performance where he performed the spin move of the season. Now he has a matchup versus a Texan team who ranks 26th against opposing quarterbacks. The Texans are getting gashed by both the run and the pass which should lead to a big game for Jackson in Week 11. He will have the safest floor of the week and should provide a high ceiling as well.
DAK PRESCOTT- $6700 DRAFTKINGS, $8100 FANDUEL
The Cowboys need a win to stay in the playoff hunt and they will rely heavily on Dak Prescott for the rest of the season. Dak has averaged 24 DraftKings points per game and is coming off a 29 point performance versus a stingy Viking defense. I view this as a bounce-back spot for both the Cowboys and Dak. We can easily see a 30 point performance versus the suspect Detroit Lions defense. Detroit is ranked 29th against opposing quarterbacks and allowing 272 yards in the air per game. Where other quarterbacks will be dealing with harsh winter weather Dak will playing in a dome and he should find the warmth in your lineups as well in Week 11.
RUNNING BACKS
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY- $10500 DRAFTKINGS, $10500 FANDUEL
Christian McCaffrey is a stud and he should be locked into your lineups every week regardless of who he plays against. He is having an MVP caliber season and is averaging 32 points per game. He gets a great matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons who have trouble covering pass-catching running backs. McCaffrey should feast and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 2 touchdown and 200 all-purpose yards out of him in Week 11.
JOSH JACOBS- $7000 DRAFTKINGS, $8000 FANDUEL
Josh Jacobs is highly involved in this Raider offense. As each week grows, he becomes more and more the focal point of this offense. Coming into Week 11 he is averaging 17 points per game and I think that goes up after this game versus Cincinnati. The Bengals are allowing 173 rushing yards per game and continue to get torched each week by opposing offenses. The Bengals have given up on the season and a big game is coming for Jacobs.
WIDE RECEIVERS
MICHAEL THOMAS- $9900 DRAFTKINGS, $9000 FANDUEL
The Saints shockingly lost to the Atlanta Falcons and knocked a bunch of people out of their survivor pools. Thomas didn’t disappoint and had another monster game. He is expensive but your paying for his consistency and upside in your cash lineups. He is averaging 114 receiving yards and 25 fantasy points per game. He is the equivalent of Christian McCaffrey at the wide receiver position and he is a lock in my cash and tournament lineups. The matchup provides a boost to an already great play in Thomas. Tampa Bay ranks 31st against wide receivers and should be a lock in your lineups.
JOHN BROWN- $6400 DRAFTKINGS, $5900 FANDUEL
Brown is quietly on pace for a 1200 yard receiving year. He is averaging 75 yards receiving and 14 fantasy points per game. He provides consistency and a nice value on both sites. The Buffalo Bills are coming off a tough loss to the Cleveland Browns and head to Miami for a must-win game. I expect the Bills to pepper Brown early and often with targets to take advantage of the matchup versus the weak Miami secondary and you should do the same in your lineups.
TIGHT ENDS
MARK ANDREWS- $6100 DRAFTKINGS, $6900 FANDUEL
Mark Andrews bounced back in a big way with a 23 point performance in Week 10. He grabbed 6 receptions, totaling 53 yards and 2 touchdowns. This is the third time this season where Andrews has eclipsed a 20 point fantasy performance, and I see a fourth one coming. It looks like Andrews is finally healthy and Vegas has this game currently projected at 49 points. I wouldn’t be shocked if it reached 50 by game time and I still like the over. Like I said above, I like the Ravens offense in this matchup versus the Texans and I think pairing Jackson with Andrews is the right way to stack the Ravens.
GREG OLSEN- $3900 DRAFTKINGS, $5100 FANDUEL
Greg Olsen just keeps on ticking. The guy is a warrior and at 34 years old he is still putting up numbers at a high level. DraftKings and FanDuel haven’t raised his price in relation to his performance if you ask me and I will lock up some Olsen shares for value on both sites. He is averaging 10 fantasy points per game at a position where if you miss you might end up with 0-2 points and that could be the difference in you cashing your lineups. Pair that with the fact he draws a matchup against the Falcons who rank 24th against opposing tight ends and you have safe tight end play for Week 11.
DEFENSES
VIKINGS- $3400 DRAFTKINGS, $4700 FANDUEL
The Vikings are coming off a big win versus the Cowboys and should have an easy victory lined up against the Broncos at home. The Vikings defense is averaging 7 fantasy points per game and has scored double digits on three occasions this year. I think their defense will stifle the Broncos which lack any true offensive weapons. Denver is only projected to score 15 points in this one, so there should be a solid floor when taking the Vikings in both cash games and tournaments.
JETS- $3100 DRAFTKINGS, $4500 FANDUEL
Sometimes you need to take a shot and hope for the best. This is a calculated shot with the Jets coming off a win and playing against a rookie quarterback. Haskins is struggling and surrounded by a bad overall offense. The Jets come at a slight discount and will be low owned as well. If they find a way to score a defensive touchdown for the second week in a row this defense can set you apart in your tournaments.
Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than seven years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.
Christian McCaffrey is making a compelling case to prove them wrong this year.
Some people will tell you that running backs don’t matter. They’re the most replaceable players on the roster and it’s not worth using a first-round draft pick on them, no matter who it is. Christian McCaffrey is making a compelling case to prove them wrong this year.
Coming into Week 11, McCaffrey ranks second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage – Dalvin Cook has 30 more yards and one more game played. He’s been by far the most valuable piece for the Panthers this season. Without McCaffrey’s contributions, Carolina’s offense would be effectively useless and the team’s record would certainly be much worse than 5-4.
It’s not just that McCaffrey is putting up high usage numbers – he’s playing at an extremely high level. Pro Football Focus has McCaffrey as the highest-graded Panthers player (89.3) this season.
“McCaffrey has been borderline superhuman this season. Yes, Jacobs has a higher overall grade than the Panthers back, but McCaffrey has played over 250 more offensive snaps than Jacobs in Weeks 1-10. McCaffrey has also earned an elite 92.1 receiving grade so far this season, which ranks second among qualifying backs.”
Unfortunately, it’s pretty much a one-man show for the Panthers offense. The next-highest graded player is second-year wide receiver D.J. Moore, who comes in 10 points lower than McCaffrey at 79.4. Then, there’s another significant drop down to tight end Greg Olsen, who has a 69.4 overall grade.
On defense, there’s no outlier like McCaffrey. Despite what’s been an off season by his standards, inside linebacker Luke Kuechly has the top PFF grade at 81.3. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is next at 79.0. First-round pick Brian Burns started the year off hot but a wrist injury has slowed him down lately and his grade has fallen to 59.2.
When a player totals 1,385 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns in just nine games, he ought to earn the respect of just about everyone.
Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey has set the NFL on fire in 2019, racking up 1,385 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns through just nine games.
Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, who sees McCaffrey twice a year, is just as impressed as everyone else.
Speaking on Monday ahead of Atlanta’s Week 11 matchup with Carolina, Quinn said he was most impressed with McCaffrey’s growth as an every-down back.
Dan Quinn said McCaffrey is picking up right where he left off last year in terms of him being an every down player. Definitely has a lot of respect for him.
Coming into the draft a few years ago, many labeled McCaffrey as a third-down back that was not worthy of a high draft pick. The Panthers ignored those critics and took the talented all-purpose back in the first round.
The move would pay off as McCaffrey is legitimately in the MVP discussion this season. The Falcons, despite a 2-7 start, will look to win their second straight NFC South game when they take on Carolina this Sunday.
According to a report by Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, the Panthers claimed former Bears running back Mike Davis off waivers.
After playing college ball at South Carolina, Davis (5-foot-9, 221 pounds) was a fourth-round pick by the 49ers in the 2015 draft. He spent two years there, then two with the Seahawks before going to Chicago. He’s played 42 games, totaling 887 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 245 career carries.
Adding Davis now might mean the Panthers are intending to give Christian McCaffrey a lighter work load. Given his build, it makes sense for Davis to get opportunities in short-yardage situations and at the goal line, which has been a problematic area this season. Davis could purely be about depth, though.
Update:
The team has confirmed the news. In a corresponding move, they have waived wide receiver/returner Greg Dortch.
The Panthers claimed former Bears RB Mike Davis off waivers on Monday.
It didn’t take former Chicago Bears running back Mike Davis long to find a new home.
After the Bears waived Davis on Saturday, in order to better secure Chicago a chance at a fourth-round compensatory pick in 2020, he was claimed by the Carolina Panthers, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Source: Former #Bears RB Mike Davis was claimed on waivers and awarded to the #Panthers.
The Bears signed Davis to a two-year deal worth $6 million this offseason and had high hopes for what he could bring to their offense. Instead, he was placed on the back-burner in favor of rookie running back David Montgomery, who has gotten a bulk of the carries this season.
Davis’ season high of five carries for 19 yards and six receptions for 17 yards came in the season opener against the Green Bay Packers. He had zero offensive snaps in two of his last three games.
In seven games, Davis had just 11 carries for 25 yards and seven catches for 22 yards.
Davis joins a Panthers team led by MVP candidate running back Christian McCaffrey. Rapoport said, “as the season goes on, Carolina may want to make sure Christian McCaffrey is fresh. The addition of Mike Davis helps with that.”
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Yards
TD
Lamar Jackson
223 – 63
4
Daniel Jones
308 – 20
4
Patrick Mahomes
446
3
Kyler Murray
324 – 38
3
Dak Prescott
397
3
Running Backs
Yards
TD
Derrick Henry
188 – 3
2
Aaron Jones
93
3
Christian McCaffrey
108 – 33
1
Melvin Gordon
108-25
1
Dalvin Cook
97-86
1
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
Christian Kirk
138
3
Darius Slayton
121
2
Tyreek Hill
157
1
Golden Tate
95
2
Amari Cooper
147
1
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Mark Andrews
53
2
Travis Kelce
75
1
O.J. Howard
47
1
Jack Doyle
44
1
Kyle Rudolph
14
2
Placekickers
XP
FG
Harrison Butker
2
4
Younghoe Koo
2
4
Matt Gay
3
3
Jason Sanders
1
3
Sam Ficken
4
2
Defense
Sck-TO
TD
Steelers
4-3
1
Ravens
2-3
2
Rams
3-2
1
Raiders
5-3
1
Jets
6-2
1
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
TE Trey Burton – Calf
RB Devonta Freeman – Ankle
RB Giovani Bernard – Knee
RB Ty Johnson – Concussion
RB Jordan Wilkins – Ankle
WR Ryan Switzer – Back
RB Saquon Barkley – Undisclosed
Chasing Ambulances
Devonta Freeman – This is the only injury likely to create new opportunities. The Falcons already placed Ito Smith on injured reserve last week and next up means Brian Hill. He ran for 61 yards on 20 carries mostly all after Freeman left by halftime. Hill also caught a ten-yard pass. Hill already has some value as the new No. 2 for the Falcons and will be the primary if Freeman misses any time. Next week, the Falcons play the Panthers that just let Aaron Jones score three touchdowns. At this point in the season, Hill is a worthy addition if you have the room.
Free Agents and Notable Performances
RB Melvin Gordon – Finally broke 100 yards for 2019 when he ran 22 times for 108 yards and a touchdown plus caught a pass for 25 yards. He ran for 80 yards on 20 carries in Week 9 versus the Packers. After six games back, he’s back in playing form with two straight games of 20 carries and 4.0 YPC.
RB J.D. McKissic – Ty Johnson left with a concussion so McKissic (10-36) and Paul Perkins (7-9) filled in. McKissic also caught six passes for 19 yards as the busiest receiver. He worth adding to a roster if there are reception points and the upcoming schedule (DAL, @WAS, CHI, @MIN) will need to use a running back as a receiver. That was with Jeff Driskell as the quarterback but Matt Stafford uses him a well.
TE Mark Andrews – Big game with six catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns. The notable part is that he’s only topped 50 yards in one other game since Week 2. He gained 99 yards on six catches in Week 6. Against the same Bengals team in their first meeting. They can’t always be the Bengals each week, but when they are, Andrews comes to life.
RB Joe Mixon – Okay, so he hasn’t rushed in a touchdown this year, but at least Mixon just turned in his first 100-yard rushing effort of the year. He ran for 114 yards on 30 carries and added 37 yards on two catches in the loss to the Ravens.
QB Ryan Finley – The rookie debuted with only 167 yards and one touchdown with one interception versus the Ravens which were not the best choice for a first game. Short of a catastrophic situation for your fantasy team, doesn’t look like he needs to be picked up. There is even game film on his this week.
Saints backfield – Sunday was a trash game for the Saints who never showed up. So it is hard to draw too many conclusions from what happened in the loss to the Falcons. Alvin Kamara returned from his ankle injury but only gained 24 yards on four carries. Latavius Murray ran five times for 12 yards so the Saints equally mixed the pair for at least this week. Kamara still caught eight of his targets while Murray only drew two passes. But the situation is more reminiscent of how the Saints used to mix Kamara and Mark Ingram.
WR Darius Slayton – He only caught one pass for six yards in the Week 9 loss to the Cowboys but the fifth-round rookie just turned in his first game over the century mark when he caught ten passes for 121 yards and two scores on the Jets. He has a bye this week but his fantasy playoff schedule for Weeks 14 to 16 are @PHI, MIA, and @WAS.
RB Saquon Barkley – There are missing offensive linemen and a rookie quarterback, but that still doesn’t completely explain how one of the most talented running backs on the planet just rushed for a net of one yard on 13 carries in the loss to the Jets. Barkley still caught five passes for 30 yards but the first pick in most fantasy drafts was hoped to offer more than 31 yards. Barkley was reported to have gone to the x-ray room after the game but no word as to why.
Cardinals backfield – The return of David Johnson did not change much. He only ran for two yards on five carries and caught one 8-yard pass. Kenyan Drake rushed ten times for 35 yards and caught six passes for a net six-yard gain. And that is without Chase Edmonds eventually mixed back in. For now, the backfield is split and Drake is getting the bigger share.
WR Andy Isabella – The Cardinals rookie is becoming a common deep threat lately with a 55-yard catch this week and an 88-yard reception in Week 10. His 78 total yards against the Buccaneers was second highest for the receivers.
RB Ronald Jones – He’s recently been given over ten carries per game but he had never caught more than two passes. Against the Cardinals, Jones ran for 29 yards and a score on 11 carries and added eight catches for 77 yards. The Bucs had not used running backs much as receivers, so it is worth noting since Jones’s fantasy value would be much greater if he had more than two receptions per game.
RB Damien Williams – Nice development for Williams. After sharing with LeSean McCoy, he was allowed 12 carries in Week 9 and gained 125 yards with one score. On Sunday, he ran for 77 yards on 19 carries and added five catches for 32 yards. McCoy was a healthy scratch. He lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown which works against a running back. But at least the Chiefs turned him into a workhorse this week.
WR DeVante Parker – With Preston Williams on injured reserve, Allen Hurns filled in bot only caught two passes for 32 yards on his four targets. Parker saw more work with ten targets and five receptions for 69 yards. The Fins will need to throw and look like they only trust Parker now.
WR DJ Moore – Kyle Allen is connecting better with Moore in recent weeks and his seven-catch, 101-yard effort in Week 9 was followed up with nine receptions for 120 yards at Green Bay.
RB Aaron Jones – He ran for 93 yards on 13 carries and had no receptions. But he scored three touchdowns, giving him a total of 14 scores on the year. He’s scored in seven of his ten games and yet hasn’t rushed the ball more than 13 times in the last five weeks.
Huddle player of the week
Christian Kirk – The second-year receiver hadn’t scored a touchdown this year and was mostly held to moderate production each week while his rookie quarterback went through his learning curve. Facing the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay was a great place for a career-best game. Kirk caught six passes for 138 yards and scored three touchdowns. It probably won’t be that easy next week in San Francisco. But he led the position for Week 10.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
