3 Bold Predictions for Christian McCaffrey in Panthers vs. Texans

Christain McCaffrey has picked up right where he left off in 2019 after missing most of the 2020 season with multiple injuries. 

CMC was dominant in 2020 when he was on the field, and he’s shown that he may be one of the few running backs in the NFL that can't be replaced. McCaffrey totaled 187 yards on 30 touches in Week 1 and followed that with another monster performance against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 (137 yards on 29 touches).

He gets an easy matchup against the Houston Texans in Week 3, and the Carolina Panthers are eight-point favorites over at WynnBET Sportsbook. 

Here are three bold predictions for McCaffrey in Week 3 on Thursday Night Football:

Christian McCaffrey OVER 5.5 Receptions (+104)

Think the Panthers’ offense missed McCaffrey last season? Matt Rhule and Sam Darnold have done a great job making McCaffrey a weapon in the passing game, as he’s made 14 catches for 154 yards through the first two games of the season, amassing 15 targets. 

He just missed going over 5.5 catches in Week 2 with five grabs, but he also missed a couple possessions with cramps. CMC is going to destroy this Houston defense in the air and on the ground, and I would expect a similar stat line to his Week 1 performance.

Christian McCaffrey Scores Multiple Touchdowns (Anytime TD Scorer is -300 at WynnBET)

McCaffrey was able to notch his first touchdown of the season in Week 2, and he had a few other opportunities in the red zone, but the Saints were able to stop him short. 

The Houston defense isn’t nearly as stingy, as it has allowed 52 points this season and 750 total yards. 

This matchup seems to be the perfect storm for McCaffrey after two strong weeks, and considering these are bold predictions, I’ll predict him to score multiple times. 

Christian McCaffrey Totals Over 136.5 Rushing and Receiving Yards (-116) 

CMC smashed this total in Week 1 with 187 yards and was still able to surpass it in Week 2 despite missing time with cramps. 

He’s going to touch the ball upwards of 25 times in this game, and his receiving prowess gives him a major ceiling when it comes to total yardage. The Texans are middle of the road against the run this season (16th in yards allowed), but they’re allowing 4.6 yards per carry. 

The Panthers have looked really dynamic this season on offense with CMC back and Darnold under center, and I think McCaffrey’s floor could be in the low 100s for yardage week in and week out. 

Can Christian McCaffrey put up a huge game on Thursday? Make your pick at WynnBET.