Carolina Panthers Depth Chart
- NFC South
- Stadium
- Bank of America Stadium
- Head Coach
- Matt Rhule
- Offensive Coordinator
- Joe Brady
- Defensive Coordinator
- Phil Snow
- Special Teams Coach
- Chase Blackburn
- Defensive Scheme
- 4-3
The Carolina Panthers placed offensive guard Pat Elflein (hamstring) on Injured Reserve on Tuesday. Also, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (ankle) will not play on Thursday night against the Houston Texans. Elflein will now miss at least the next three weeks of action. The 27-year-old wasn't all that solid late in the 2020 season, and he had gotten off to a rough start this year. Dennis Daley stepped in for Elflein at left guard in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals and is expected to remain at the position for the foreseeable future. Gross-Matos has yet to practice this week after playing a limited role in the first two weeks of the season.
Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said that Dennis Daley will get the start again at left guard on Thursday night against the Houston Texans. Left guard Pat Elflein (hamstring) played 23 snaps in the Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints before getting injured. Daley, a sixth-round pick back in 2019, could be an upgrade over Elflein after he struggled last season and to begin the 2021 campaign. Rhule also called right guard John Miller one of the keys to beating the Saints after he came off the COVID-19 list. Carolina's offensive line could have their way with the Texans defensive line this week, making Christian McCaffrey a candidate to explode in Week 3. The Texans have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs through two games in 2021.
Carolina Panthers kicker Zane Gonzalez made his team debut during the Week 2 win over the Saints. While he accounted for eight points, he also had his 55-yard field goal attempt blocked and he missed an extra point. Head coach Matt Rhule reiterated Monday that Gonzalez would be the team's kicker moving forward, even if that confidence likely stems from the fact that the Panthers are tasked with just three off-days before their Week 3 matchup against Houston. While Gonzalez missed just one extra point with the Cardinals last season, he missed six of his 22 field goals. For now, Gonzalez can remain on the waiver wire in most season-long formats, but his six scoring appearances in Week 2 could bode well for his upside moving forward.
Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is healthy heading into Week 3 against the Texans. Head coach Matt Rhule said he has no concerns about McCaffrey's availability for Week 3, as the star halfback had to exit Sunday's game due to cramps. The All-Pro runner has handled his usual monster workload through two weeks, as he's amassed 59 touches, turning them into 324 scrimmage yards with one touchdown. McCaffrey is a locked-and-loaded RB1 against a Texans defense that allowed 156 rushing yards and three scores to the Browns.
Carolina Panthers kicker Zane Gonzalez went 2-for-3 in field goals and 2-for-3 in extra points in Sunday's win over the Saints. Gonzalez played his first game with the Panthers on Sunday after joining the team just this week. The kicker started off decent, but those misses could be a slight cause for concern. Going forward, Gonzalez should remain out of starting lineups until he proves he is a consistent player.