Carolina Panthers

Panthers Draftkings Buy or Sell: Week 1

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

With the Carolina Panthers season opener Thursday night, what are some players that are a must have for daily fantasy lineups on Draftkings?

Week one of the NFL season for the Carolina Panthers is a formidable opponent in the Denver Broncos, who have a stifling defense but many questions on the offensive side of the ball. Daily fantasy players will need to draft early and play in leagues that lock on Thursday to pick any Panthers players, who exactly is worth your salary?

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) scrambles away from Denver Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe (95) in Super Bowl 50 at Levi

Cam Newton – Denver’s stats from last year in team defense are even more exceptional than the Panthers. In 2015, the Broncos ranked first in passing yards allowed (that is, they allowed the least) and intercepted opposing quarterbacks 14 times. They held their opponents to a 78.8 passer rating, and led the league in sacks. While Cam Newton is playing with a chip on his shoulder given his performance in February, and is mobile with the ability to evade many defenders, there are much safer bets like Russell Wilson against Miami.

Draftkings Cost: $7,900
Buy or Sell: Sell

Johnathan Stewart – Yet again, a Carolina starter will be challenged by a terrific defensive front seven that was third in total rushing defense and allowed the least average yards per carry in the NFL. While Stewart will see a plethora of touches and come in determined to best his 29 yards against the Broncos from February, it is unlikely he performs. Consider Raiders running back Latavius Murray against a favorable New Orleans squad.

Draftkings Cost: $5,100
Buy or Sell: Sell

Aug 5, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin (13) flexes during fanfest at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Kelvin Benjamin – Biggest thing that faces Kelvin Benjamin and his fantasy value is the element of the unknown. How hard can Benjamin hit the ground running? And how many snaps will Benjamin command early on and be involved in?

While he had a rather successful camp, he goes up against Chris Harris and that is a tough assignment to outperform. Benjamin comes at a modest price though, with competitors such as Michael Crabtree and Emmanuel Sanders coming in around the same price tag. Given his successes and impact potential, Benjamin is a much nicer option than those around him, consider him as a Flex or WR3 option.

Draftkings Cost: $5,700
Buy or Sell: Buy

Devin Funchess – A monster camp and coaches raving about you is always a good follow up coming off of a somewhat disappointing first year campaign. While the faith in Funchess is there, the jury is still out for him in terms of finding consistency. If he settles into a heightened role in the passing game well he may be a great economy option for fantasy players, but as it stands now, sit out the praises that have been sung.

Draftkings Price: $4,800
Buy or Sell: Sell

Ted Ginn Jr.- Deep threats are mostly neutralized in the Denver secondary, and expect no less from them against Ted Ginn. There is good reason why Ginn comes in at a cheaper rate than Funchess despite being listed ahead of him in the depth chart. Another option around Ginn’s price tag is division rival Vincent Jackson of the Buccaneers going up against the Falcons.

Draftkings Price: $4,100
Buy or Sell: Sell

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (88) can

Greg Olsen- One of the more safe buys on the Panthers offense weekly is Greg Olsen, who averaged 15 points per week for Draftkings owners in the 2015 season. However, he will command some tough coverage from the Denver linebackers. However, if Benjamin and Funchess come out of the gate performing well, the pressure may be alleviated from Olsen in the passing game allowing him to make some big plays. It’s a high risk to run in week one, however, and is why Olsen should probably take a backburner to the likes of Gary Barnidge from Cleveland.

Draftkings Price: $5,100
Buy or Sell: Sell

Carolina Defense- As documented in our weekly Start or Sit, the Carolina Panthers have a largely unknown but containable Denver offense headed by 2015 seventh round draft pick Trevor Siemian. C.J. Anderson is inconsistent, and rookie Devontae Booker is coming off of a torn Meniscus from his senior year at Utah. While Carolina’s secondary is extremely youthful and may have growing pains, the front seven should command this game and make paying top dollar for a defense worth your while.