Vikings @ Panthers Week 4 Game Preview

Minnesota Vikings @ Carolina Panthers

We have a battle of winless teams in this one as the Vikings travel to take on the Panthers in this Week 4 tilt. 

Minnesota suffered another heartbreaking loss in Week 3 and will need to rack up some wins soon to stay competitive in the NFC North. On the other side, this was always expected to be a rebuilding year for the Panthers. But they can’t feel great about how much better the offense looked with Andy Dalton at QB rather than the #1 overall pick from this year’s draft.

With a game total of 45.5 points, Vegas believes there is a real chance for these teams to put points on the board, and that is supported by the fact that both teams have a situation-neutral pass rate above 50% through three games.

As pass-heavy as the Vikings have been, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them try to get the running game going against a Panthers defense that has given up the third most fantasy points to opposing RBs so far this season.

If Cam Akers is active for Minnesota, we will get our first look at how the backfield might shake out between him and Alexander Mattison. Mattison has dominated the backfield usage so far but has been extremely inefficient, which prompted the trade for Akers. 

For his part, Akers was just as bad in his one appearance this season, but I do expect him to be the more effective back once he gets up to speed in the offense.

At the WR position, it’s no surprise to see Justin Jefferson atop Fantasy Life’s Week 4 WR rankings. Get used to it. 

The more interesting trend comes with Jordan Addison, who has seen his workload grow each week. If these trends continue, he should have a true breakout week sooner rather than later.

For the Panthers, the big question is whether or not Bryce Young will be healthy enough to play this week. Unfortunately, if Week 3 is any indication, it might be better for the rest of the offense if Dalton is the one under center. 

After the passing game struggled through the first two weeks, Adam Thielen was able to turn back the clock in Week 3 (seriously, Andy Dalton to Adam Thielen, what year is it?) and post 11/145/1, which was good for the overall WR3 in PPR scoring on the week. If Dalton is the QB, Thielen could feast against a soft Minnesota secondary.

The other guy who really benefited from having Dalton at QB was DJ Chark Jr., who managed to haul in a 47-yard TD last week. The Red Rifle seems more willing to throw deep than the rookie, so Chark would be a boom-or-bust flex option in this matchup if Dalton gets the nod.

In the backfield, Miles Sanders has managed to deliver solid fantasy value so far but has done so on the back of receiving work. Through three games, Sanders has averaged just 46 rushing yards per contest, but he already has 12 receptions which has boosted his value in PPR leagues.

The Vikings are road favorites and in desperate need of a win. An 0-4 start would effectively end the Vikings season before it ever started and would put HC Kevin O’Connell’s job on the line. This seems like a get-right game for a Minnesota team that probably should have won last week. The Vikings are more talented and should be more motivated, so I expect them to take care of business.