There could be a quarterback controversy for Carolina Panthers after they were demolished by the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9. The Panthers were down 35-0 at halftime in large part because of two PJ Walker interceptions, so things could get interesting for the team at the bottom of the NFC South.
It's always difficult to analyze players at key fantasy positions on a "tanking" team, but fantasy managers in two-QB or superflex leagues always have eyes on any starting quarterback in the NFL.
Is Baker Mayfield back as the starting quarterback for Carolina or is PJ Walker or Sam Darnold going to start on Thursday Night against the Atlanta Falcons? Let's find out.
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Is Baker Mayfield Starting for the Panthers?
Despite stepping in for Walker and completing 14 of his 20 passing attempts for 155 yards and two touchdowns, the team announced Monday that Walker would get another shot at starting in Week 10. Most would probably agree Mayfield is the better quarterback, but the Panthers aren't necessarily worried about winning as they look toward the future.
Again, it's tricky to trust or figure out any fantasy assets on teams with seemingly nothing to play for early in the season, but for now, Walker remains the signal-caller.
Should I Pick Up Baker Mayfield in Fantasy Football?
In traditional single-quarterback leagues, Mayfield is far from the fantasy radar and it'd be surprising if he ever comes close to it this season. He was awful in his first five starts with Carolina, and the team is now down Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson, so things could get much worse.
He had a fine performance in the second half against the Bengals, but it was clearly garbage-time production and shouldn't carry much weight when analyzing his potential outlook moving forward.
All that said, Mayfield is worth stashing in two-quarterback and supeflex leagues with plenty of roster spots because there's a chance he starts another couple of games this season. He'll have a low ceiling, but again, all quarterbacks will real chances to play have to be considered in those formats. If Walker disappoints against the Falcons in primetime on Thursday Night Football, Mayfield could be renamed the starter soon after.
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