The Carolina Panthers started out the season pretty rough and easily named the worst team in the NFL. Bryce Young was starting and lead his team to score a total of 13 points in the first two games. They lost 47-10 against the Saints and 26-3 to the Chargers.
This ultimately resulted in Young getting benched and journeyman backup and 13-year veteran Andy Dalton took over. Dalton was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals and played with them from 2011-2019, Cowboys in 2020, Bears in 2021, Saints in 2022, and Panthers in 2023. He has been a backup in his later stages of his career.
In Week 3, the Panthers played the Raiders and in Dalton’s first start since Week 17 of the 2022 season. Many weren’t expecting the Panthers to come out and beat the Raiders after the Raiders win in the prior week against the Ravens.
But Dalton came out and threw for 319 yards throwing 37 times and completing 26 of them. He threw three TDs one to Diontae Johnson, one to Adam Thielen, and the third to Chuba Hubbard.
The 319 yards passing and three TDs is the most by any QB so far this season and no one expected the first to do it would be the Carolina backup Andy Dalton. In fantasy Andy Dalton scored 24.56 points making him one of the highest scoring QBs for Week 3.
Speaking of fantasy Jauan Jennings had a breakout performance scoring 46.5 points the most in fantasy for Week 3. Saquon Barkley and Kyren Williams both being in the 30 point range the most for running backs. A TE no one was expecting to breakout is Dallas Goedert, he was a game-changer scoring 27 points.
Dalton is playing his old team this week in the Bengals and with Adam Thielen on questionable we will see if he can repeat his performance in Week 4. If Panthers win this week and send Bengals to 0-4 and Carolina to 2-2 than it will open people’s eyes towards the Panthers.
