Fantasy Football: Buy Low on Panthers’ D.J. Moore

Taking over for injured, starting quarterback Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Kyle Allen has filled in fabulously. While Newton deals with a Lisfranc injury, Allen has stepped in and led the Panthers to two straight victories over the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans. For Panthers fans, things have been great. For fantasy football owners, that same sentiment can not be shared.

With Allen taking over, the fantasy football outlook for Carolina’s offense has been bleak (minus Christian McCaffrey). Wide receivers D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel were supposed to explode into fantasy relevance this season, but Allen has been unable to get them the football. In his two starts at quarterback, Moore has caught 4/7 targets while Samuel has caught 8/14 targets.

Samuel has been somewhat good with Allen under center (16.3 and 6.3 PPR points in weeks 3 and 4), but Moore’s performance with Allen has earned himself a seat on your fantasy team’s pine.

Over the past two weeks Moore has scored 13.4 and 7.4 PPR points. That really is not that far off from Samuel, but the amount of targets has to be worrisome for Moore owners; that’s why you should go out and trade for him.

Kyle Allen is not going to be the starter forever, and Moore was great with Newton standing in the pocket. In weeks 1 and 2 with Newton, Moore garnered 16 catches on 24 targets; three times the amount of targets he has gotten with Allen. Add in the fact that Carolina is taking on Jacksonville next week, there is no way owners feel comfortable with Moore in their lineup.

With Moore’s value at its lowest point, trading for him will benefit you in the second half of your fantasy season. He has the first round talent, breakaway speed and ability to create something out of nothing. Making a move for Moore is somewhat risky with Newton injured, but I can’t see a world where he doesn’t come back / is benched for Kyle Allen with him fully healthy.

-Jarrod Ribaudo (@Jribs53)