Fantasy Football Week 9: 5 WR sleepers to target
By Cody Rivera
4. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers
If nobody in your fantasy league has snagged Carolina Panthers rookie D.J. Moore yet, now might be the time for you to do so. For much of the season, Moore has been just an okay fantasy asset, with the exception of his performance in Week 2 when he caught a touchdown pass in Atlanta. Other than that, he’s been just another typical rookie trying to get some playing time.
But things improved in Week 8. As the Panthers picked up an impressive 36-21 win over the Baltimore Ravens, Moore caught five of six targets from quarterback Cam Newton for 90 yards. He didn’t have a touchdown in the game, but it was still a very big step forward for Moore, especially from a fantasy standpoint.
In addition to his 90 receiving yards, Moore also rushed for 39 yards on two carries to accumulate 129 total yards in the game. That isn’t a shabby afternoon for the rookie out of Maryland, whom the Panthers selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The biggest reason for the increase in Carolina’s usage of Moore in Week 8 was due to the fact that veteran wide receiver Torrey Smith was out with a knee injury. With an opportunity to show just how dangerous he can be, Moore certainly came through when Carolina needed him to.
As the Panthers head into Week 9, they will be facing a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that is less than stellar. If Smith ends up missing another week, look for another big game from the rookie Moore.