Two surprisingly record-breaking teams will meet Thursday night as the Panthers visit the Texans. Carolina is part of a handful of 2-0 teams thanks to the No. 1 defense and the brilliance of running back Christian McCaffrey. As for Houston, many considered them to be the worst team in the league, but they are instead at 1-1 thanks to a rushed attack that includes Mark Ingram, David Johnson and Phillip Lindsay. Panthers vs. Texans are also full of many underrated players who could impact your NFL DFS rosters.
With Taylor (hamstring), can rookie Davis Mills impress as one of the under-the-radar picks for the NFL DFS on his first pro start? Can Panthers wide receiver Brandon Zylstra build on his 3-44-1 stat line in Week 2 and factor in your NFL DFS strategy? Before you lock down NFL DFS picks for Thursday Night Football on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, be sure to check out NFL DFS tips, player rankings, stacks, and the best daily fantasy football picks from Mike McClure of SportsLine.
McClure is a predictive data engineer and professional DFS player with nearly $ 2 million in career earnings. It uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every snap of NFL action in every game, taking into account factors such as games, statistical trends, and injuries. This allows him to find the best DFS values that he only shares with SportsLine members.
Now McClure has turned his attention to the Texans versus the Panthers and has locked down his daily top fantasy football picks. You can only see them by going to SportsLine.
NFL DFS Top Picks for Panthers vs. Texans
One of McClure’s top picks for the NFL DFS on Thursday is Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey. A weapon in running and passing games, McCaffrey had 72 rushing yards and one scoring in Week 2 while catching five balls for 65 yards.
McCaffrey made skeptics forget his injury-plagued 2020 season as he picked up where he left off in 2019, when he was the best fantasy performer. Until Sunday of Week 2, he led the NFL in scrimmage (324), while placing sixth in rushing yards (170) and 10th in receptions (14). Now he faces a defense from the Texans in a short week that has just been nicked for 156 yards and three scores against the Browns. McCaffrey is a roster lock in Thursday Night Football DFS rosters.
Part of McClure’s optimal NFL DFS strategy also includes the roster of Carolina quarterback Sam Darnold, who had 305 passing yards and two touchdowns in Week 2. For the season, the former Jet has 584 passing yards and a 3-1 intercept. report.
Darnold looks like an entirely different quarterback since leaving New York, as the Panthers’ offensive line gives him time to show off his arm skills. He’s under half the pressure of his tenure with the Jets and Darnold has responded favorably, with career highs in completion percentage (68.5) and passer rating (100.5). Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has already carved out Houston’s defense for over 300 yards and three touchdowns this season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Darnold could do the same on Thursday night.
How to Set NFL DFS Queues for Texans vs. Panthers
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is set to explode in large numbers during Thursday Night Football. This choice could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or coming home with nothing. You can’t see who it is here.
So who does Mike McClure put in his optimal NFL DFS roster for the Panthers vs Texans? Visit SportsLine now to see the optimal NFL DFS picks, standings, tips and stacks, all from a daily fantasy expert with nearly $ 2 million in earnings, and find out.