Stan Son preps you for the Monday Night Football contest between the Panthers and 49ers with game-script analysis and Captain’s Picks.

The Carolina Panthers are 6-5, within one game of the NFC South lead. What a time to be alive! This is the 31st season that the Panthers have been in existence and the team has finished with a winning record only seven times. Can they make it eight? Sure, anything is possible, but I’d like to point out that the six wins have been over Atlanta (twice), Miami, Dallas, the New York Jets and Green Bay. Not exactly the creme de la creme of the NFL. The rest of the schedule consists of San Francisco, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans, Tampa Bay (twice) and Seattle. That’s tough.

Rico Dowdle has been great for Carolina when he’s been healthy and given the lead role, but on the season, the rushing attack is averaging 4.4 yards per carry and scored only seven touchdowns. The EPA per carry is 17th-best. The passing game has been rough, posting the seventh-lowest EPA per dropback with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Bryce Young has flashed at moments, making Lloyd Christmas smile from ear to ear, but much of the season has been mediocre at best.

The run defense for Carolina has posted the 13th-lowest EPA per carry while allowing 4.4 yards per carry. Opponents have rushed for 13 touchdowns, though. The pass defense has racked up seven interceptions but with only 16 sacks. The EPA per dropback is ninth-highest. The unit plays zone defense at the highest rate in the league.

Injuries have decimated the 49ers on both sides of the ball. Brock Purdy has started only three games, George Kittle has played only six games and the wide receiver group has been shuffling and scuttling back between the injury room and the field. Starting middle linebacker Fred Warner and the best pass rusher, Nick Bosa, are both out for the season.

The rush defense has allowed 4.1 yards per carry and only eight touchdowns. The EPA per carry is 14th-highest, though. The pass defense has been the big bugaboo. San Francisco is dead-last in pressure rate and has racked up only 12 sacks on the season. The EPA per dropback is fifth-highest, 21 passing touchdowns have been allowed while only three interceptions have been snatched.

The once-potent rushing attack is averaging only 3.5 yards per carry while scoring only eight times. The EPA per carry is 10th-lowest. Christian McCaffrey has played 11 games, though, and rushed 193 times. Both Mac Jones and Purdy have played well, posting the 10th-best EPA per dropback. Combined, they have thrown 20 touchdowns with 10 interceptions while completing 69.1% of their passes.

DraftKings Sportsbook has SF -7.5 over CAR with the total at 49.5.

Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $1.25M Monday Night Showdown [$300K to 1st] (CAR @ SF)

Captain’s Picks

Tetairoa McMillan ($14,100 CP): McMillan was selected by the Panthers with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 draft to be the alpha receiver for Young. At 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, McMillan has the size. The 89 targets, 54 receptions, 748 yards and four touchdowns aren’t overly impressive, but when considering the play of Young at times, it becomes Impressive with a capital I. McMillan has put up at least double-digit FPTS in all but three games with a high of 36 FPTS, which came last week. Young should have plenty of time to find his top target in this one. In addition, the 49ers will likely put up points, which would force Young to remain aggressive.

UTIL Plays

Bryce Young ($9,200): Well, McMillan can’t have a good game unless Young has one, so here we are. Young has attempted 30 or fewer passes in six games this season. But he has two games with 55 and 45 attempts, putting up 26.3 and 34.8 FPTS in those contests. This game has a healthy total of 49.5, so points are expected to be scored.

Christian McCaffrey ($12,400): I want to try and get a piece of all the 49ers points, so McCaffrey and Purdy seem like the way to go. Yes, both are expensive, so there will be one $200 punt. McCaffrey hasn’t been explosive this season, but the volume, both from carries and targets, has been massive. As a result, McCaffrey has finished with at least 20 FPTS in all but two games this season, with three over 30 FPTS and a high of 42.1 FPTS.

Brock Purdy ($10,000): In three starts this season, Purdy has put up 18.8, 23.7 and 19.3 FPTS. Last week, the volume wasn’t there with only 26 attempts due to blowout, and he only threw for 200 yards, but the efficiency was great with three touchdowns without throwing an interception. As mentioned above, I want a piece of all the 49ers points. There’s probably a good chance the Purdy/McCaffrey double-dip happens.

Fades

Jauan Jennings ($7,000): Jennings leads the 49ers in snaps, but the production has been middling with Purdy under center. In the three Purdy starts, Jennings garnered five, four and six targets. With Jones, he had games with 10, seven, seven and nine targets.

THE OUTCOME

I like this to be a back-and-forth affair with the 49ers reminding everyone that they still possess a ton of talent on offense.

Final Score: 49ers 41, Panthers 27