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The sweat may be pooling up in all the wrong places, but, before you know it, changing leaves, cool temperatures and football will be in the air. To help fantasy managers and devoted bettors get through summer’s soaring heat, The Gaming Juice’s resident gridiron gambler, Brad Evans, is here to preview each NFL franchise — fantasy values, prop picks and team win totals. Channeling Richard Dent, Reggie White and J.J. Watt, the Three-Point Stance has eyes on sacking the sportsbooks and fantasy rivals.
Today’s featured squad: Carolina Panthers.
Fantasy value — Bryce Young, QB (ADP: 129.7, QB28)
The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner’s second year as a pro was a stomach-churning rollercoaster ride. Benched early in the season due to his wretched overall play, Young reemerged midseason and made tremendous strides down the stretch. He finished QB5 in fantasy points per game over the final five weeks. As reported by The Athletic, his refined footwork sparked the breakthrough.
Optimism is mostly restricted to a small subsection of the fantasy community, but bandwagoners could soon jump aboard. With Tetairoa McMillan on the roster, a top-half offensive line (No. 14 in pass blocking efficiency in 2024), strong ground game and underachieving defense pushing his volume, Young has reasonable odds of taking another statistical leap in 2025 — and possibly a big one. Despite last year’s abysmal start, he ranked a respectable No. 18 in deep-ball completion percentage and No. 17 red-zone completion percentage.
Throw in Carolina’s No. 5 easiest fantasy QB strength of schedule, and Young’s odds of a plus campaign only improve. A final tally in the range of 3,500-plus passing yards, 300-plus rushing yards and 25 or more total touchdowns isn’t some psychedelic trip. Go the extra dollar in SuperFlex formats.
Prop pick — Tetairoa McMillan OVER 795.5 receiving yards (-110, BetMGM)
Channel Sir Mix-A-Lot, gamer. McMillan is long, strong and down to get the friction on.
Standing 6-foot-5, the lanky rookie receiver is exactly what pint-sized passer Young ordered.
[ NFL Gamer's Guide: Fantasy forecasts and futures bets for 2025 season ]
At Arizona, McMillan showcased terrific in-traffic skills, winning multiple times in contested catch situations. It’s no surprise he posted a 100-plus passer rating on hitch, out and slant routes, per Pro Football Focus. Blessed with flytrap hands, battle toughness, excellent across-formation route running and appreciable speed for a lengthy wideout (4.58 in the 40), he’s destined to become a Young favorite.
Presumably on 110-120 targets, McMillan will be a likely moneymaker for future bettors and fantasy fans (ADP: 85.1, WR31). Considering the minimal competition around him, friendly fantasy schedule (No. 4 easiest for WRs) and Carolina’s leaky defense, he should race past the 800-yard mark — barring an injury-impact disaster.
Team lean — Panthers OVER 6.5 regular-season wins (-145, Caesars)
The organizational glory days under the direction of John Fox and Ron Rivera may be long in the past, but current head coach Dave Canales has his Hello Kitties on an upward trajectory.
ESPN’s Mike Clay gives Carolina a 50% or greater win probability in only three games. However, the Panthers’ encouraging showing last December and January and their 10th-easiest projected strength of schedule imply Clay’s calculations are too pessimistic.
Yes, the defense is a major question mark, but Young’s advancements combined with an enhanced arsenal and Chuba Hubbard’s impressive three-down talents point to overachievement. Carolina has a 7-8 win appeal.