Thursday night’s NFL season opener, the Super Bowl 50 rematch between the Panthers and Broncos, is an unappetizing offering in fantasy terms.
If for some reason you picked a quarterback too early, or paid too much in an auction, you have to start Cam Newton. But this isn’t going to be one of his better weeks. If you have running backs from either team, you might want to look at alternatives, because both these defenses can stop the run.
If you are just itching to start someone in the opening Thursday game, make it a Denver wide receiver — Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders. The Panthers secondary is unproven, and they will rely on blitzing (which they do effectively) to hide that weakness.
In seasonal leagues, it’s OK to start big stars in this game. But if you’re playing daily formats (DFS), this is a good one to avoid. Thursday games often are omitted in big-money tournaments, but in those contests that do allow Thursday entries, don’t be afraid to all players from the opener.