Rotoworld game prediction

[Ja Rhule]

Carolina @ Denver
Vegas Projected Score: Panthers 22.25, Broncos 19.25

Thursday night's NFL opener has the second lowest Vegas total (41.5) of Week 1 and projects as a low-scoring slugfest. Panthers RT Mike Remmers likely still has nightmares of Von Miller pulverizing him for three sacks and five quarterback hurries in Super Bowl 50. Not only did Wade Phillips' defense hold Cam Newton to 265 scoreless yards and an interception with 6-45 rushing last February, Cam's larger-sample 2015 play was poorer on the road, where his weekly fantasy finishes were QB20, QB16, QB12, QB8, QB18, QB1, QB1, QB19 compared to QB4, QB3, QB16, QB13, QB2, QB1, QB5, QB1 at home. Including every member of the secondary, Denver returns 8-of-11 defensive starters after allowing 2015's fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. This might seem like blasphemy in season-long leagues, but I would consider sitting Cam for a late-round QB like Kirk Cousins or Derek Carr. Even Dak Prescottarguably offers a better floor-ceiling combination. ... Jonathan Stewart struggled in the Super Bowl, totaling 28 yards on 13 touches against Denver. The Broncos closed out last year holding enemy running backs to 318 yards and three touchdowns on 105 carries (3.03 YPC) in their final five games. While Stewart's early-down work is secure, limitations on his passing-game role are a concern should Carolina fall behind. Including the playoffs last season, Stewart managed 20 receptions across 16 games. Stewart is a low-floor RB2/flex option who may need to score a short touchdown to pay off.

Carolina's best bet for receiving production will be Greg Olsen, who drew nine targets against the Broncos last February. Denver's 2015 defense permitted the NFL's eighth most yards to tight ends and lost Danny Trevathan, who was Pro Football Focus' No. 6 pass-coverage inside linebacker among 60 qualifiers last year. ... Healthy after a torn ACL wiped out his sophomore NFL campaign, Kelvin Benjamin closed the preseason with a 6-61 receiving line on nine targets. Kelvin's Week 1 matchup is as tough as they come against lockdown Broncos man-coverage CBsAqib Talib and Chris Harris. Last year's Broncos allowed the NFL's fewest yards, second fewest touchdowns, and fourth fewest receptions to opposing wide receivers. After Benjamin struggled with conditioning late in camp, the Panthers plan to limit him to 35 snaps, or around 55% of the game. Benjamin is a low-floor WR3 option. ... From a size standpoint, it makes the most sense for Wade Phillips to assign Talib (6'1/202) to Benjamin (6'5/240) while Harris (5'9/194) chases Ted Ginn (5'11/178). Whereas Talib can be prone to lapses of focus, Harris stays zoned in. Harris has been PFF's Nos. 7, 1, 11, and 7-rated coverage cornerback over the past four years. ... Intriguing sophomore Devin Funchess spent the summer sprinkling in with the Panthers' first-team offense. Funchess' Week 1 usage is unclear, but he should get a playing-time boost from Benjamin's snap restriction. When Funchess is on the field, he is likely to primarily draw versatile nickel back Bradley Roby, who is nearly as stingy as Denver's big-named starters.

I like the under on this game's 41.5-point total and much of that is due to Denver's offensive makeup. RunningPeyton Manning's system for most of last year, the 2015 Broncos ranked 13th in pass attempts and ninth in offensive plays, incorporating shotgun and hurry-up to keep Peyton comfortable. This year's Broncos will go "Full Kubiak" with more snaps from center and bootlegs, and fewer passes and total plays. With 2015 seventh-round pick Trevor Siemian at the controls, Gary Kubiak's goal should be to hide his quarterback with a foundation run game and elite defense. That is especially the case against a Panthers team that last year ranked No. 2 in pass-defense DVOA and sixth in sacks. A checkdown-style passer, Siemian finished his college career with a 27:24 TD-to-INT ratio, 58.9% completion rate, and 6.4 YPA. Beyond being drafted by John Elway and "banged the table" for by Kubiak, nothing in Siemian's track record suggests he is a legitimate NFL prospect. I think we'll see rookie Paxton Lynch starting by October. ... One of the few skill-position players who succeeded in Super Bowl 50 was C.J. Anderson, parlaying 27 touches into 100 yards and a score. Although the matchup isn't ideal against Carolina's plus-sized front and speedy linebacker trio, the Broncos should be able to control this matchup at home with their defense, allowing Anderson to be fed on positive game script. Perhaps in part due to opponents' struggles to adjust to Denver's thin air early on,Warren Sharp has noted that the Broncos have the NFL's best record (27-3) in home games in the first two weeks of the season since 1989. Anderson is an underrated RB2 play with a good shot at 20 touches.

While the frequency and efficiency with which Siemian is able to deliver the ball to Denver's wideouts remains an open question, the matchups for Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are appealing on paper. With Bene Benwikere stationed in the slot, Thomas and Sanders will take turns running routes at small-school second-round rookie James Bradberry (Samford) and third-rounder Daryl Worley (West Virginia) outside. In season-long leagues, Demaryius is a passable WR2 play against Carolina's inexperienced defensive backs. Sanders is a high-end WR3. ... Virgil Green ran away with the Broncos' tight end job and finished the preseason with 10-97-1 receiving, a vast majority of which was delivered by Siemian. On bootleg rollouts especially, the Broncos seemed to proactively scheme preseason throws to Green with Siemian in the game. Although he was typecast for many years as a blocker in Denver, Green has always posssesed elite athleticism and was a receiving tight end at Nevada. Green is going to be a useful streamer this year; I'm just not convinced he'll pay off Thursday night. Last year's Panthers were No. 1 in DVOA against tight ends and allowed the ninth fewest yards to the position. Green will be a more attractive play in Week 2 against Indianapolis.

Score Prediction: Broncos 21, Panthers 17

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/64774/179/matchup-panthers--broncos

[ladypanther]

10 minutes ago, ARSEN said:

Score Prediction: Broncos 21, Panthers 17

 

Don't see the broncos scoring 21 points.  13 at best.

[caatfan]

1 hour ago, ladypanther said:

Don't see the broncos scoring 21 points. 

I don't see their offense scoring 3 TD's. It's the D that worries me.

I like the Vegas prediction better.

[The Lobo]

7 minutes ago, caatfan said:

I don't see their offense scoring 3 TD's. It's the D that worries me.

I like the Vegas prediction better.

What's theirs?

[caatfan]

 

2 hours ago, The Lobo said:

What's theirs?

 

4 hours ago, ARSEN said:

Vegas Projected Score: Panthers 22.25, Broncos 19.25

 

[ItsPantone278]

Worley gonna have his hands full on Sanders.

[PntherPryd]

 

oh good grief. 

[Chaos]

I definitely see us scoring 22.25 all day, mufuggas

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using CarolinaHuddle mobile app

[Montsta]

I love how the experts say things like "Broncos bring back 8-11 defensive players" like its no big deal they lost who they did, but in the same way the Panthers have 8-11 of the same starters but we are fuged cuz Norman is gone. 

I don't get it. 

[SportsCrazie4172]

All I want is someone to shut Von Miller azz up!! 

 

[pstall]

It will be a low scoring game. I say Gano gets 3 fgs and our d scores a td and offense gets 1.

23- 13 Panteras 

[Snake]

Panthers 21 Broncos 7

 

And Luke takes one to the house. 

[Von Miller]

Broncos 24 Panthers 10

Would be a great way to start the season, in a similar way to how the last one ended!

 

[R0CKnR0LLA]

2 minutes ago, Von Miller said:

Broncos 24 Panthers 10

Would be a great way to start the season, in a similar way to how the last one ended!

 

shouldn't you be somewhere holding out for more money