Panthers at Broncos: 5 best fantasy options
By Brad Weiss
Here are the five best fantasy options to look at when the Denver Broncos take on the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football.
When the Denver Broncos take on the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football, it will be a match-up of the two best defenses in the NFL. For Denver, the defense is going to lead their team this season, as they head into 2016 with an inexperienced quarterback. Trevor Siemian beat out both Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch during the preseason, and will be making the first start of his NFL career.
The Panthers counter with an elite defense of their own, plus have they the luxury of having the most electric quarterback in the league. This one could be a big-time defense battle, so choose players from these two teams wisely. Here are the top five fantasy options for the Panthers at Broncos season opener.
5. Denver Broncos Defense
On the day Von Miller re-signed with the team, the Broncos reestablished themselves as the class of the NFL. In 2015, the unit led the team all the way to a Super Bowl Championship, and they return nearly their entire starting unit. Denver lost Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan to free agency after the season, but their defense may be even better in 2016.
Todd Davis will slide right into the spot left vacant by Trevathan, and has the size and skill to be a difference maker on defense. Jared Crick spent the first three years of his career with the Houston Texans, but will head to Denver to take over for Jackson. Jackson will be hard to replace, but the team may have found a gem in Crick. Look for both Davis and Crick to ease the blow of the loss of Jackson and Trevathan.
The biggest threat they will face on Thursday is Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, who shredded the NFL in 2015. Newton was the MVP of the entire league, leading his team to a 15-1 regular season record. However, Denver had his number in Super Bowl 50, making him look lost and frustrated from the opening kick off.
The Panthers do have some nice weapons on offense, but the Broncos defense should be able to rack up at least one of the top three defensive point totals in Week 1. The unit is very opportunistic, and should force Newton to make a mistake or two. Plus, with Denver relying on a first-time starter at quarterback, the defense may be required to score if the Broncos are going to keep it close.
Next: 4. Kelvin Benjamin