Panthers fantasy: What to expect from Carolina’s wide receivers in 2020

The Carolina Panthers fantasy football landscape normally centers on running back Christian McCaffrey, but there is hope regarding the wide receivers in 2020.

Much of the Carolina Panthers fantasy football expectations will once again surround running back Christian McCaffrey. He is the best dual-threat in the NFL and is going to be one of the first names taken in every format across the country.

There are some other players for Panthers’ fantasy players to consider in 2020. The wide receiver group is littered with talent and with newly acquired quarterback Teddy Bridgewater set to provide a more consistent throwing presence under center, it would be surprising if things did not trend on an upward curve in the passing game.

Walter Cherepinsky from Walter Football listed his top 100 fantasy football wideouts for the upcoming campaign, which sees three Panthers’ featured. Leading the way is D.J. Moore, who is ranked No. 18 and is coming off the first 1,000-yard campaign of his brief career.

Moore is projected by Chrepinsky to score 166 points in the normal format, which increases to 251 in PPR leagues.

"“D.J. Moore was a favorite sleeper of mine in 2018. Apparently, I got the year wrong. Moore was excellent in 2019 despite being paired with backup quarterbacks for 14 of 16 games. Moore saw tons of targets to close out the year, ultimately finishing with 87 catches for 1,175 yards and four touchdowns. The four scores may improve with Teddy Bridgewater, though I’m not fully convinced Bridgewater will do as well in Carolina without Sean Payton getting the most out of him.”"

Robby Anderson was another big-money signing during the offseason after penning a two-year, $20 million deal to prize him away from the New York Jets. He is expected to form a nice tandem alongside Moore for Bridgewater to call upon. This also has the potential to take some of the pressure off McCaffrey providing the Panthers’ offensive line holds up.

From a Panthers’ fantasy perspective, Anderson ranks 58th on the list and is projected to score 124 and 184 in normal and PPR leagues respectively.

"“Robby Anderson signed with the Panthers, where he’ll play in a crowded receiving corps comprised of D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel. Don’t forget about Christian McCaffrey either, as he’ll continue to see most of the targets. This was not an ideal fit for Anderson.”"

The Panthers resisted any temptation that came their way during the NFL Draft to trade away former second-round pick Curtis Samuel. This represents another boost for the offense, with the player finally ridding himself of injury problems to have a good year in 20129.

There could be more to come from Samuel heading into the final year of his rookie deal. He will want to impress in the hope of receiving a longer-term commitment from the franchise and this could spell good news for any Panthers fantasy football players who are looking to acquire him.

He is ranked No. 82 in the top-100 list and is projected to score 90 points in regular formats and 143 in PPR leagues.

"“Curtis Samuel had tons of hype heading into the season, but he played second fiddle to D.J. Moore. Of course, being paired with backup quarterbacks for 14 of 16 games didn’t exactly help. Samuel would have kept evolving into a reliable fantasy receiver, but Robby Anderson’s presence will derail any hope.”"

It is evident there is plenty of potential regarding the Panthers’ top-three wide receiver options. How they develop chemistry with Bridgewater during a shortened offseason due to the coronavirus pandemic will ultimately determine just how productive they are going to be in 2020.