The Carolina Panthers will face the Denver Broncos in Week 8. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding QB Andy Dalton.
Is Andy Dalton Playing in Week 8?
Andy Dalton will not start for the Carolina Panthers in Week 8 after being involved in a car accident. Dalton sprained his thumb in the incident but otherwise “feels good,” head coach Dave Canales told reporters on Wednesday.
Instead, former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young will be back under center for the Panthers when they face the Broncos on Sunday. Carolina benched Young after he started in Weeks 1 and 2, and it was difficult to argue with the club’s decision.
Young failed to improve on his dismal rookie campaign, even after the Panthers augmented his offensive environment. He ranked dead last in EPA per dropback (-0.44) before Canales pulled the plug.
Young’s inclusion in the starting lineup represents a downgrade for all of Carolina’s pass catchers. That’s doubly true against a Denver pass defense that ranks No. 1 in efficiency and No. 3 in success rate against opposing passing attacks.
We’ll continue to monitor the Panthers’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Andy Dalton’s Fantasy Outlook
Dalton’s lone pass in Week 1 against the Saints fell incomplete and that resulted in a 39.6 passer rating — he was hardly better than that on Sunday in Washington against one of the worst defenses in the NFL (44.0).
The win over the Raiders in Week 3 was fun, but we are well past his usable window in fantasy football ‘24. Dalton has failed to average even six yards per pass attempt in all four games since that shocking performance, throwing an interception in each of those contests (held without a touchdown toss in two of them).
This team could/should turn back to Bryce Young, and if you forced me to pick a quarterback to score the most points from Weeks 8-18, the second-year QB would get my vote.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 8 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos Insight
Carolina Panthers
Team: The Panthers have created pressure on just 21.9% of their blitzes this season (the NFL average nets out around 41%).
QB: Andy Dalton has failed to average even six yards per pass attempt in all four games since that shocking performance, throwing an interception in each of those contests (held without a touchdown toss in two of them).
Offense: The Panthers have scored 37 points in three October games (they are allowing 38 PPG in those games).
Defense: The Panthers allow 34.7 PPG (243 total points allowed). That’s tied with the 2020 Dallas Cowboys for the most points allowed through seven games in the last 50 seasons.
Fantasy: Jonathan Brooks’ debut is coming, but Chuba Hubbard has scored in four of his past five games and has been an RB2 or better in six straight.
Betting: Since the start of last season, the Panthers are 3-8 ATS on the road when the total closes under 45 points.
Denver Broncos
Team: The Broncos are seeking to improve to 5-3. They haven’t been above .500 through eight games since 2016, when they were 6-2.
QB: Bo Nix scrambled on 21.2% of his dropbacks in Week 7 vs. the Saints, tied with Jayden Daniels for the highest scramble rate in a game this season.
Offense: The Broncos averaged 6.1 yards per rush in Week 6 vs. the Chargers and 6.4 yards per rush in Week 7 vs. the Saints. It’s the first time Denver has averaged at least six yards per rush in consecutive games since 2011 (Weeks 8-9), during Tim Tebow’s stint as their starting QB.
Defense: The Broncos had a season-high 21 pressures in Week 7 vs. the Saints. That included six pressures from Zach Allen, who has accounted for 35% of Denver’s pressures this season (third-highest among interior linemen behind Chris Jones and Kobie Turner).
Fantasy: Courtland Sutton was not targeted for the first time in his career in Week 7. Sutton’s 28 routes run without a target were tied for the second-most by a wide receiver this season, trailing Justin Watson of the Chiefs (31 in Week 5, also vs. the Saints).
Betting: Under tickets have cashed in eight of Denver’s past nine played on extended rest (this is their first game of 2024) – they’ve covered eight of their past 11 such games.