NFL ATS Picks - Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers Game Preview

The Carolina Panthers looked discombobulated throughout the 2016 season, as they didn’t come close to returning to the Super Bowl after a magical 2015 run. Quarterback Cam Newton and a lot of the other stars are still around and are hoping for a better effort this season. The Panthers must hit the road to begin the year but have a winnable game in Week 1 when they face off with the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers have a bright coach in Kyle Shanahan but it may take a couple of years until this team is truly ready to be competitive again. The team is in the midst of a large rebuild, and small signs of progress may be the best hope this season. The Panthers’ defense is hoping for a big game to help result in an easy season-opening victory.

This contest in Week 1 of the regular season will go down Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 4:25

p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium.

Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu

Carolina Panthers -5.5
San Francisco 49ers +5.5
Over/Under 47.5

Odds Analysis

The Panthers are solid road favorites because of their talent advantage, and thus far about three-quarters of the money has come in on them to cover. The scoring total is about middle of the road for an NFL game, and the “under” is currently the more common choice by bettors.

The Panthers are -240 on the moneyline, while the 49ers are +199. Despite some glaring holes on both sides of the ball, San Francisco looked decent at times in the preseason. They could pay off decently by surprising some people and capturing this game at home.

Injury Report

Cam Newton- The Panthers quarterback has shoulder surgery this offseason which limited his work, but he is full-go at this point. There are no restrictions on the former MVP, so everything should be fine. However, if these are timing issues because of rust or any soreness, it could be the break San Francisco needs to cover this spread.

Jimmie Ward- The 49ers cornerback seems questionable for this contest with a hamstring injury. The San Francisco secondary is suspect as is and it can’t afford to lose another piece. The Panthers don’t have a dominant passing game, but Newton will rev up some deep passes every once in awhile, and the 49ers hope to have all hands on deck.

Player to Watch

Christian McCaffrey -- The Panthers running back will enter his first NFL game with plenty of intrigue. The former Stanford star was a first-round pick and should be able to contribute both on the ground and through the air.

He seems like a matchup problem and the 49ers have to watch where he is at all times. The Panthers’ offense bogged down at times last season, and the hope is that McCaffrey will breathe some life back into it.

While Jonathan Stewart has been a steady presence for years in the backfield, Carolina will slowly but surely start giving McCaffrey more work as the year goes on.

Free ATS Pick

The 49ers aren’t nowhere near ready to compete, but they are heading in the right direction. The defensive line is making strides and Reuben Foster seems to already be a key piece in the middle of the field as a rookie.

Carolina has a talented team but it is very inconsistent. The Panthers should be able to squeak this one out, but it’s going to be much tougher than expected. Take a plucky 49ers team to take this game down to the wire and cover the spread. However, Carolina will breathe a sigh of relief with a late field goal to win it.

The “under” is definitely the call on the scoring total in a game that could be a slugfest.

NFL Odds: Panthers 20, 49ers 17

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