Panthers vs. Falcons Predictions, Picks & Odds: NFL Week 18, Sunday 1/5
The NFL Week 18 is chalk-full of divisional rivalries, as expected, but they don’t all mean something. When it comes to the NFC South, they very much matter, including the matchup in Atlanta with the Falcons hosting the Carolina Panthers. That’s why we’ve got our best Panthers vs. Falcons predictions for you below.
Ultimately, everything leads into the best bet from our Panthers vs. Falcons picks, and we’ll wrap everything up with a new $250 FanDuel Sportsbook welcome bonus!
Panthers vs. Falcons Predictions For NFL Week 18, Sunday 1/5
Frankly, it’s been quite a while since we’ve had a Panthers vs. Falcons game with so much meaning, but there’s nothing better than when divisional rivalries matter in the final week of the NFL season. Specifically, it’s Atlanta looking to make the playoffs.
We’ll discuss more on their scenario specifically coming up but just know that they do not control their own destiny. They can still do the part that they can control by beating the Panthers, which we predict will be on the back of RB Bijan Robinson. Although Carolina’s defense can be exploited in numerous ways, it’s their run defense that is far and away the worst in the NFL.
That should also be the case given a rookie QB under center in Michael Penix, and we’ll be still with the Atlanta side for the best bet from our Panthers vs. Falcons predictions.
Carolina Panthers: Back To Form
The positives for the Panthers this season: they doubled their win total from last season! Carolina’s four wins will at worst be tied for the NFL’s worst record this season, so while they’ve had some surprisingly competitive games against great teams, it has still culminated in what is a disappointment for their fans.
They have given sparks of hope to their fanbase, including just two weeks ago with their win over the Arizona Cardinals. However, they returned to form this past weekend, getting crushed 48-14 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This Sunday, they’ll be looking to eliminate the Falcons like they did the Cards in that upset win.
Atlanta Falcons: Defying The Odds
As promised, more on Atlanta’s playoff scenarios. First and foremost, a win at home this weekend is a must. To expand on the fact that they don’t control their own destiny is the fact that they also need the Bucs to lose on Sunday, who play right alongside them at 1 PM ET against the other NFC South team.
In other words, Falcons fans will also be huge New Orleans Saints fans for a few hours. Unfortunately for them, the Saints just lost by 15 points at home to the 4-12 Las Vegas Raiders and lost 34-0 on Monday Night Football the week prior. So, chances don’t look great, but the hope is still alive!
Panthers vs. Falcons Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
Given Atlanta being the motivated team and Carolina’s struggles, it’s no shock that the Panthers vs. Falcons odds at FanDuel Sportsbook have a significant home favorite:
- Point Spread: Carolina Panthers +8.5 (-105) vs. Atlanta Falcons -8.5 (-115)
- Money Line: Carolina Panthers (+340) vs. Atlanta Falcons (-440)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 48 (-110) vs. Under 48 (-110)
Panthers vs. Falcons Predictions: Carolina Team Total Under 19.5 Points (-102 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
We stated that we’d be focusing our Panthers vs. Falcons predictions on the Atlanta side of the game, but in terms of preventing Carolina from doing their damage. While we do expect Bijan to have a big game with the great matchup, we’re going to trust the Falcons defense here.
Carolina’s flaws are vast, and Atlanta has been able to get back to a .500 record almost solely on their defense. Not only have they needed to when switching to a rookie QB, but they carried the team even when former starting QB Kirk Cousins was struggling.
For example, prior to last week’s loss, Atlanta’s defense won them back-to-back games with 15-9 and 34-7 victories. The first of which was when Cousins threw for just 112 yards and an interception, so the defense came up clutch. Although they allowed 30 points last Sunday, that was to a playoff team in the Washington Commanders.
Carolina is much more on par with the aforementioned wins above, which were over the Raiders and New York Giants. Therefore, we may see another single-digit point total this Sunday. After all, Carolina has been held to 10 points or fewer four times this season and have also scored more than 16 points just once in their past four games.
Along with a lack of motivation, we’re making the best bet from our Panthers vs. Falcons predictions on Carolina’s team total under 19.5 points (-102 at FanDuel Sportsbook).
Panthers vs. Falcons Injury Report & Latest News
Yet another reason as to why we don’t expect the Panthers to score much is due to the fact that RB Chuba Hubbard, by far their most productive player, has been injured with a knee issue.
As for Atlanta, we’ll be keeping an eye on WR Drake London, but he’s been getting healthier each week. Monitor those players and all injury news with the Fantasy Alarm NFL injury report.
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Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Beat reporter John Hendrix reports that free agent WR Donovan Peoples-Jones is among the 16 players that the Saints will host for their rookie minicamp.
Peoples-Jones last played regular season snaps with the Lions back in 2023, when he caught 13-of-24 targets for 155 yards. He is highly unlikely to return to fantasy relevance at this point but could perhaps sign on as a special teams contributor.
Titans signed fourth-round pick WR Elic Ayomanor to a four-year contract.
Ayomanor will now begin learning behind Calvin Ridley. Although Ayomanor is unlikely to find a meaningful role in year one, dynasty managers should note his status as training camp gets underway this summer. The former Stanford receiver flashed big-play ability in his two college seasons.
Buccaneers signed seventh-round pick WR Tez Johnson to a four-year contract.
Johnson will serve as a rotational deep-threat option for Baker Mayfield. His thin frame (5'10/154) simply does not lend itself to the repeated hits one incurs in a full-time role. Johnson did earn 100-plus targets in his two seasons at Oregon, though. His big-play style make him a better fit in best ball for now, pending any major on-field breakthroughs.
Giants waived DT Casey Rogers.
Rogers was a 2024 undrafted free agent and logged 33 defensive snaps for the Giants in his rookie season. He is credited with zero tackles and/or sacks. He may find his way onto another roster as a practice squad option.
Vikings signed third-round pick WR Tai Felton to a four-year contract.
Felton is quietly in play to challenge Vikings No. 3 WR Jalen Nailor in training camp. Nailor (5'11/190) caught 28-of-42 targets for 414 yards and six touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year, with the latter category buoying his fantasy productivity. Felton (6'1/183), meanwhile, caught 96-of-143 targets for 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 2.32 yards per route run in his final college season. Fantasy managers should monitor Felton’s training camp reports this summer, as he could have a matchup-based WR5 role if everything falls into place.