Carolina Panthers long-shot NFL playoff odds that much longer with Christian McCaffrey out for season; Chuba Hubbard will be hot Fantasy pickup

The Carolina Panthers enter their Week 13 bye off a horribly ugly loss at the Miami Dolphins and with a 5-7 record that has the Cats sitting 11th in the NFC standings but only a game in the loss column out of the final wild-card spot. However, oddsmakers give the Panthers long-shot odds of +1850 to make the postseason and that was before the news that All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey has been lost for the season. To miss the playoffs, Carolina is -4000. The SportsLine Projection Model (see below) wasn't high on Carolina to begin with. 

It's going to be another lost season for McCaffrey, who is the NFL's highest-paid running back at an average annual value of $16 million. He had a rare 1,000-yard rushing, 1,000-yard receiving season in 2019 but hasn't been able to stay on the field since. McCaffrey was limited to just three games in 2020 and seven this year. The Panthers were 4-3 in those in 2021.

McCaffrey suffered a left ankle sprain in the first half vs. the Dolphins. It wasn't thought to be season-ending on Sunday but an MRI revealed the damage was enough to place McCaffrey on season-ending injured reserve because of the time it would take to recover. He was on IR earlier this season and landing on IR a second time automatically ends a player's season.

McCaffrey had his streak of 57 consecutive games of catching at least one pass, tied for the longest streak by a running back since Theo Reddick from 2014-18, end Sunday. He finishes the year with 442 yards rushing and 343 receiving with two total TDs.

Even though Carolina is off this week, no doubt that Canadian rookie Chuba Hubbard will be a top Fantasy football pickup if available as he will take over the featured role. The fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma State has rushed 122 times for 427 yards and three scores and caught 19 passes for 152 yards.

Will Cam Newton be Carolina's starting QB in Week 14 vs. Atlanta? He was historically bad in Sunday's loss before being benched, completing just 5-for-21 for 92 yards and two picks. Newton's 23.8 completion percentage was the worst by a former NFL MVP with a minimum of 20 pass attempts. It was also the worst by any QB with 20-plus attempts since 2004. Detroit's Joey Harrington completed 22.7 percent that year vs. Green Bay.

Coach Matt Rhule said he doesn't expect a quarterback change after Carolina returns from its bye. It's not like PJ Walker is a much better option. The Panthers have an updated betting Over/Under of 6.5 wins. 

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