The Carolina Panthers are back on the field Thursday night, just four days after a rough afternoon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This time they head to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers.

For fantasy managers, Tetairoa McMillan is probably the easiest Panthers decision of the week. Darren Waller is coming off a 50-yard touchdown, while Carolina's defense has a much tougher assignment against Jordan Love and the Packers.

We've looked at McMillan and Waller before in our weekly Panthers fantasy decisions. Here's where I stand on both of them, along with the Panthers defense, heading into Thursday night.

Start Tetairoa McMillan

I'm sticking with McMillan.

He has 36 catches for 511 yards and two touchdowns this season, and even when the numbers haven't been huge, the Panthers continue to give him opportunities. That's what I'm looking at more than his four-catch, 40-yard game against Tampa Bay last week.

Green Bay hasn't exactly shut down opposing No. 1 receivers, either. The last three to face the Packers averaged 90 receiving yards and 7.3 catches per game. Green Bay is also 27th in fantasy points allowed to No. 1 receiver targets, and McMillan has already shown what he can do when Carolina gets him heavily involved. He had 14 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns against Detroit earlier this season.

I'm not expecting another 192-yard game Thursday night, but he doesn't need one to be worth starting. McMillan is also the Panthers receiver SI's fantasy staff prefers this week, and I'm going the same way.

If McMillan is on my roster, he's playing.

Sit the Panthers Defense

Carolina's defense has had some good moments this season, but going into Lambeau against Jordan Love isn't a matchup I want to depend on in fantasy.

Love has thrown for 1,958 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, and he's gone over 274 passing yards in each of his last three games. Green Bay also has enough weapons around him to make this a tough spot for a Panthers defense that hasn't consistently produced the sacks and turnovers fantasy managers are looking for.

There is a chance Carolina gets to Love a few times. He's been sacked six times over the last three games, and Green Bay has dealt with some issues along the offensive line. I'm just not willing to count on that being enough to make Carolina a good fantasy play Thursday night.

Maybe the Panthers bounce back after what happened against Tampa Bay. I'd rather find another defense this week than count on it happening at Lambeau.

Sit Darren Waller

I can understand why Waller is tempting this week. He caught a 50-yard touchdown against Tampa Bay, and one play like that can change his entire fantasy night.

But that was his only catch, and he was targeted just twice. Waller has 14 receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns through six games, so you're still depending on a pretty small number of opportunities. When he finds the end zone, it works. When he doesn't, there hasn't been much of a floor.

Green Bay isn't the defense I want to chase a touchdown against, either. The Packers are allowing only 5.5 yards per target to tight ends and have been one of the toughest fantasy matchups in the league at the position.

If I'm desperate at tight end, I can understand taking the shot on Waller. If I have another decent option, he's staying on my bench.

For me, McMillan is the easy call of the three. I'm starting him Thursday night and looking elsewhere instead of taking the chance on Waller or the Panthers defense.