Week 11 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Curtis Samuel only had 35 yards last week against the Packers, but he caught four balls, was targeted eight times on the day and scored his fourth touchdown in as many games. Samuel has been yet to eclipse 100 receiving yards in a game this year, but he’s scored five touchdowns on the season and is averaging 7.6 targets per game. In good matchups, he should find room to work and he’s shown a nose for the end zone in his young career.
This week, Samuel has WR2 upside against a Falcons defense that ranks 28th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. While they bottled up the Saints offense pretty well last week, they’ve been largely ineffective all season and have given up the sixth-most passing touchdowns this season. Samuel is an upside option this week and should be active in most leagues.
Week 10 at Green Bay Packers
Curtis Samuel had a nice game last week against the Titans, catching three of the six passes thrown his way for 64 yards and a touchdown. He added 10 yards on the ground as well and continues to be an active part of the offense. Samuel is dealing with a nagging hamstring, so fantasy owners should keep an eye on his status heading into this week against the Packers.
Green Bay ranks ninth in aFPA to opposing wide receivers, to Samuel may struggle in what could be a tough matchup. However, the Packers allowed a big 56-yard play and 111 yards overall to Mike Williams last week, as they largely held Keenan Allen in check. Expect the Panthers to throw the ball to keep up with Green Bay and for Samuel to put up solid WR3 numbers as a result, barring any last-minute injury news.
Week 9 vs. Tennessee Titans
Curtis Samuel only caught four passes for 46 yards last week against a tough 49ers defense, but he was targeted 11 times and is now averaging 7.7 targets per game. The Panthers are 4-3 and will be hoping to make a splash during the second half of the season to keep their playoff hopes alive. Samuel figures to be a big part of that, as he’s second on the team in targets and has played 88% of the team’s offensive snaps.
This week, Samuel should still have Kyle Allen behind center against a Titans defense that ranks 10th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers this season. Expect Allen to play a little more effectively without having to stare down Nick Bosa and for Samuel and D.J. Moore both to benefit as a result. We have Samuel ranked as a fringe WR2/WR3 option this week, and he should be targeted heavily again.
Week 8 at San Francisco 49ers
Curtis Samuel had a great game against the Buccaneers before the bye last week, scoring a touchdown rushing and another receiving on his way to 78 total yards from scrimmage. Samuel continues to be an active part of the offense, playing 80% of the offensive snaps and averaging 7.2 targets per game.
The 49ers are the top-ranked defense in aFPA to opposing wide receivers and have been lights out all season. This should be a defensive struggle, which doesn’t bode well for the Carolina passing game, and fantasy owners should look elsewhere if possible.
Week 6 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (London Game)
Curtis Samuel was disappointing last week against the Jaguars, catching only three passes for 16 yards. He added 25 rushing yards, but failed to find the end zone and has only scored one touchdown so far this season. Samuel remains a playmaker and he’s only had fewer than six targets once this year, so there’s definite upside, but his potential breakout certainly hasn’t come yet.
This week, Samuel will face a Buccaneers defense that has struggled against the pass, ranking 30th in aFPA to opposing wide receivers. He caught five passes for 91 yards against them earlier this season, and he will look to at least duplicate that effort in an attempt to rebound from a pair of subpar outings the past two weeks. Samuel should be considered a WR3 with upside this week in a nice matchup.
Week 5 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Curtis Samuel caught three balls for 32 yards last week against the Texans, but he was targeted seven times and he continues to be an active part of the offense. Fantasy owners are starting to get impatient with the Panthers’ receivers, but the targets – 7.8 per game – suggest Samuel will find fantasy production at some point.
The Jaguars have allowed the eighth-most aFPA to opposing wide receivers this season. While that’s largely affected by Sammy Watkins’ explosion in Week 1, they definitely have a question mark in the secondary with Jalen Ramsey demanding a trade. The Panthers will try to run the ball, but there’s some upside for fantasy owners looking for a deep WR3 option.
Week 4 at Houston Texans
Curtis Samuel caught five passes for 53 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals last week and he tied with Greg Olsen for the team lead with seven targets. Kyle Allen has started two games in his career for the Panthers and thrown a touchdown to Samuel in each of them. Samuel’s 24 targets to start the season are encouraging for long-term success, and he leads the team in snaps. Samuel’s production may not be popping yet, but the factors are in place for him to thrive.
This week might be a good time to risk using him. The Texans have allowed the fifth-most aFPA to the wide receiver position so far this season, including a monster day to Keenan Allen last week. We have Samuel ranked as a low-end WR3 this week, but he has considerable upside against a defense that has struggled early this year.
Week 3 at Arizona Cardinals
Curtis Samuel was targeted 13 times last week. He only caught five passes, but he was chasing errant throws all game and wound up with 91 yards anyway. Samuel has big-play potential and is clearly an emerging target in Carolina if the Panthers can find a way to get him the ball. If Cam Newton can start to look more like his old self and shake off the injuries he’s been dealing with, Samuel has high upside. Or if Cam misses this week, Kyle Allen with a fresher arm might actually be an upgrade over a starter playing hurt.
The Cardinals got torched by Danny Amendola in Week 1, to the tune of seven catches, 104 yards and a touchdown, and they should provide a good matchup for Samuel. The Panthers may have quarterback concerns, but Samuel has upside against a secondary that is still without suspended cornerback Patrick Peterson. Samuel is a little bit of a boom-bust option, but has WR3 potential against the Cardinals.
Week 2 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Curtis Samuel had a quiet start to the season, catching three of the four balls thrown his way for 32 yards. The Panthers struggled offensively outside of Christian McCaffrey and will look to rebound this week against the Buccaneers, who gave up the second-most points to opposing teams last year but looked pretty good against the 49ers in Week 1.
Expect Samuel to rebound a little in what should be a good matchup, although fantasy owners with better options should take a wait-and-see approach to this Panthers offense. Samuel is ranked as a low-end WR3 this week, and he’s a boom-bust option in most league formats.
Week 1 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Curtis Samuel had a promising sophomore year in 2018, finishing with a modest 494 yards on 39 receptions. However, he added 84 yards on the ground and scored a total of seven touchdowns, despite playing a part-time role. This season, with Devin Funchess with the Colts, the Panthers are hoping for a big leap from the playmaking Samuel.
He'll start the year against a Rams defense that was 14th in passing yards allowed per game but allowed the eighth-most touchdown passes to opposing offenses with 31. Samuel has risk associated with him because he hasn’t produced at a consistent level at any point in his career, but he might be worth the risk if you’re thin at receiver. We have him ranked as a low-end WR3 this week, with some added upside for the gamblers among us.
