Buccaneers vs Panthers: Five game-changing players for Week 8
By Bailey Adams
Christian McCaffrey
The Bucs are often bitten by their former players. But can’t the same be said about players they were linked to in the draft? We most recently saw that as the case with Dalvin Cook back in week three. This Sunday, it could happen again with rookie Christian McCaffrey. Quite a few analysts linked Tampa Bay to the Stanford product prior to the draft. Of course, he didn’t even come close to falling that far, getting snatched by Carolina at eight.
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Despite all of his potential, the rookie is still finding his footing in the NFL. Part of his slow start, though, could be the Panthers still figuring out how to get him involved in the offense. McCaffrey was a fantastic running back in college, but can also work well in the slot. Carolina seems to be easing him in as far as the run game goes. He only has 45 carries for 114 yards this season, which is fewer rushing attempts than leading back Jonathan Stewart and quarterback Cam Newton. In the passing game, though, he leads the team in targets with 59. He has caught 44 of those for 329 yards and two touchdowns.
McCaffrey hasn’t exactly made an immediate splash for the Panthers. It’s taken some time to get going, and he still isn’t quite there yet. However, the Buccaneer defense seems like the perfect opponent for anyone that needs to step up their performance. Doesn’t it seem like such a Bucs thing to allow McCaffrey to have his biggest game of the year? It probably wouldn’t surprise anyone. Look for him to make a big impact on the final score of Sunday’s game.