Matt Okada - , panthers Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-11 | Full transcript (primary source).
On September 11, 2026, Matt Okada addressed the media during a press conference for the Carolina Panthers, providing insights into the upcoming NFL season and offering fantasy football tips based on player performances and matchups. The conference focused on key players and strategies as the Panthers prepared for their week 1 game.
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Transcript
Okada: 16 games on the week 1 slate and in every single one of them, there's an edge. I'm Matt Okada and here's the deal this season. I'm going through and mining the data for a fantasy tip you can actually use. Here we go. Start Jackson Dart vs the Dallas Cowboys. Jackson Dart was one of my favorite values at quarterback this draft season as he was a top 5 QB in points per game and his 12 starts as a rookie. That output was heavily boosted by his rushing upside as Dart led all qualified quarterbacks in rush yards per game and explosive runs and the only QB to outdo his 9 rushing touchdowns or 1.2 fantasy points per carry was overall QB 1 Josh Allen. Dart carries that baseline in tier 2 while adding Malik Neighbors whose season ended early in Dart's debut start in week 4. And this weekend Dart draws a Cowboys defense that gave up the 3rd most rushing yards and the most rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks last year making him an excellent QB 1 play in the opener. Sit Patrick Mahomes against the Denver Broncos. Unless Patrick Mahomes is a sudden scratch for week 1, his first game since tearing his ACL in mid December will come against the Broncos. Mahomes hasn't hit 18 fantasy points in any of his 4 games against Denver since Vance Joseph took over as defensive coordinator in 2023 averaging just 13.2 points per game with 3 TDs, 4 picks, 64 pressures and 12 sacks. Here is a good look at the havoc Denver's defense can cause. Linebacker Q Robinson quickly cuts off the outlet pass to Rashard Smith before bringing the pressure to Mahomes. His wide receivers are blanketed downfield and before he can get through his progressions to an open Noah Gray, DJ Jones has broken through to his blindside and sacks the Chiefs QB for a drive killing sack. Now very likely to be less than 100% in an already concerning matchup with his division rival, Mahomes is well outside QB 1 range on Monday Night Football. Start Jared Goff vs the Saints. Over his past 4 seasons with the Lions, Jared Goff has averaged 20.61 fantasy points per game at Ford Field. That's legitimately elite production as only Josh Allen, Jaylen Hertz and Jayden Daniels can claim better fantasy outputs at home over that span. In week 1, Goff gets to play in Detroit and draws a uniquely promising matchup with the Saints. New Orleans and DC Brandon Staley ran the 3rd highest rate of zone coverage last season and Goff shredded zone in 2025 to the tune of 3400 yards, 18 touchdowns and 191 fantasy points all second in the league to MVP Matthew Stafford. In a near ideal situation, Goff is an excellent streaming option for opening weekend with legitimate top 5 upsides. Start Michael Pittman Jr. vs the Atlanta Falcons. Michael Pittman Jr. has a new home in Pittsburgh this season where he'll be playing with 2025's quickest passer, Aaron Rodgers. It's a bit of a sleeper pairing as Pittman is top 5 among outside receivers in targets, catches and receiving yards on quick throws the last 3 seasons. Meanwhile, the Falcons allowed the 2nd most touchdowns, 17 and 7th most yards, more than 1700 to outside wide receivers in 2025, and they lost corner Dee Alford in free agency. This play against Miami illustrates how their single high zone defense can be exploited. Lined up on the outside against Mike Hughes, wide receiver Jalen Watto runs a deep slant and Tuatunga Vailoa pulls the trigger in just 2.01 seconds, hitting Watto right in the soft spot of the Falcons secondary and creating enough space for the wide out to coast his way to the far pylon for 33 yards after the catch and a touchdown. For at least one week Pittman is elevated into wide receiver 2 territory for fantasy and he could stay there if he out produces DK Metcalf in the berg. Dark Bucky Irving against the Cincinnati Bengals. Bucky Irving was already a nice value in fantasy drafts after offseason shoulder surgery positioned him for a bounce back season and it gets better in week 1 against Cincinnati. The Bengals defense surrendered the most rushing yards to running backs on missed tackles last year with 704 and Irving has accumulated nearly 38% of his career rushing yards after forcing a missed tackle, one of the highest marks in the league just behind Devon Aichan. Meanwhile, he's averaged more than 14 fantasy points per game over his two seasons, while since he surrendered the most fantasy points to his position in 2025. Even if this defense improves a bit after a nice offseason, this is as promising a matchup as you'll find in week 1. Start Jalen Coker against the Chicago Bears. Looking for a deeper league play or a spot start wide receiver in week 1? How about Panthers breakout candidate Jalen Coker? The 24 year old started to heat up down the stretch last season, snagging a touchdown in 3 of his last 5 games, but this is also a matchup play. In 2025, Coker led the Panthers with 229 slot snaps despite missing the first 6 weeks. The Chicago Bears, his opponent on Sunday, allowed the 5th most yards and the most touchdowns in the NFL to receivers aligned in the slot. They also allowed more fantasy points to wide receivers than any team except the Cowboys and did little to improve on paper this offseason. It's admittedly risky, but Coker is an intriguing play in a pinch. Gain your fantasy edge through advanced analytics, all 22 film, and unique insights powered by next gen stats, available only on NFL Pro.
