Pearsall’s mundane fantasy outing could have been saved on an end zone target in the second quarter, but Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson undercut the route and picked Brock Purdy off to flip the script. Kyle Shanahan was able to institute a play action-heavy game plan that fed targets to George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, and Jauan Jennings for much of the game, resulting in the poor fantasy outing for the talented second-year receiver. Pearsall’s primary function as the downfield receiver is likely to continue to lead to a wide range of outcomes, something fantasy managers will be forced to live through as the fantasy regular season comes to a close.

Jennings got the party started on the team’s opening possession, finding paint from 12 yards out to get the team on the board. His follow-on exploits were mostly confined to the short areas of the field, tacking on an additional four catches for 29 yards. In typical Jennings fashion, he continued to play hard throughout the game, most notably throwing blocks for McCaffrey. It was on one such play that he appeared to be upper-cutted by Panthers safety Tre’Von Moehrig in a sensitive area, something Jennings would not forget as he waiting until after the game to take exception. Expect a fine to be levied by the league in short order. Jennings continues to return viable WR2 counting stats as one of the primary cogs of the San Francisco aerial game, and he’ll look to further that streak against the Browns in Week 13.

Kittle was the primary beneficiary of the play action exploits of Kyle Shanahan’s offense in this one, with Christian McCaffrey setting the tone and keeping the Carolina defense on heir heels. He was held out of the end zone for only the second time in his last five games, but remains one of the highest-upside tight ends in the league in an offense now back to full heath. That doesn’t change ahead of a Week 13 matchup against the Browns, regardless of the effects on his floor.

In atypical fashion, the 49ers continue to be the least efficient run offense in the league, a trend McCaffrey failed to buck while averaging just 3.7 yards per carry. His elite pass game involvement remained high as head coach Kyle Shanahan fed him touches on the first six plays run from scrimmage, helping to march down the field to score on their opening possession and seize control of the game. That is particularly notable considering the offense is now back to full strength, minus Brandon Aiyuk. Fantasy managers that invested a first-round pick in the veteran back must be pleased with the returns thus far. McCaffrey gets a more difficult matchup on the ground against the stout Cleveland front in Week 13, but his work through the air keeps him a top tier RB1.

After leading the team down the field for a touchdown to wide receiver Jauan Jennings on their first possession, Purdy threw three interceptions on consecutive drives that kept the Panthers in the game. His first gave Carolina the ball inside the red zone and his second took points off the board as Mike Jackson picked him in the end zone. The offense would rally behind support from their defense, with Christian McCaffrey adding a second half touchdown to coast to the victory. The win sends the team to 8-4 as they prepare to face the tenacious Browns in Week 13, before heading to their bye a week later.

Legette failed to make good on his coach’s intimation of more targets earlier in the week, largely caused by the offense’s general inability to move the football consistently against the 49ers. He continues to operate as the clear WR2 behind standout rookie Tetairoa McMillan, a role that isn’t likely to return consistent fantasy production considering the run-leaning nature of Dave Canales’ offense. That doesn’t change ahead of a Week 13 clash with the Rams.

Coker finished third on the team in receiving behind running back Rico Dowdle and alpha rookie Tetairoa McMillan, which is more of a nod to the offense’s general inability to move the football than it is to his individual performance. The Panthers managed just 72 yards of total offense in the first half, even while generating three turnovers in the first 30 minutes of play. Coker appears more promising than his current exploits indicate, particularly since the shift to a more run-focused offense by head coach Dave Canales. That leaves his fantasy value lacking ahead of a Week 13 matchup with the NFC-leading Rams.

McMillan struggled along with the rest of the offense through a first half in which the team managed just 72 yards of total offense. He would salvage his fantasy outing with a touchdown late in the third quarter, breaking inside on a post route after an agile move to beat zone coverage for the score. The talented rookie remains in the top 10 in receiving but suffers from inconsistent quarterback play and a new run-leaning Dave Canales offense. He’ll look to return WR2 numbers in a difficult matchup against the Rams in Week 13.

Hubbard continued to play well behind starter Rico Dowdle in this one, with three of his four receptions coming on one drive in the third quarter. He now has five or fewer carries in four consecutive games after Dowdle reclaimed the lead back role, not nearly enough to warrant fantasy consideration on a weekly basis.

Dowdle’s yardage totals led the team in both rushing and receiving on a night the team managed just 72 yards of total offense in the first half, with the consistently negative game script holding him to just 10 opportunities. Dave Canales’ offense has been hyper-focused on the run game in recent weeks, but this showing halted that momentum ahead of a difficult matchup against the Rams in Week 13. Dowdle remains a fantasy RB2, albeit one with a shaky, matchup-induced floor.