Carolina Panthers News

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is no stranger to ambiguous backfields, but what he faces heading into the 2026 season may be the most unsettled room of his six-year career. Conflicting reports seem to emerge almost weekly about how Hubbard and unproven third-year back Jonathon Brooks will split work. Brooks was a second-round pick and the first running back off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft, while Hubbard was given a four-year, $33 million extension that same year after Brooks tore his right ACL for the second time in just over a year. With Brooks sitting out the entire 2025 season, Hubbard was slowed by his own nagging ailments and eventually overtaken in the starting role by Rico Dowdle, who has since signed a two-year deal with the Steelers. While Brooks has arguably the brighter future in Carolina, uncertainty about how things might look in 2026 has driven down the cost of both players, and at RotoBaller's dynasty RB33, the 27-year-old Hubbard is an affordable trade target who could offer depth and a number of usable starts for contending managers.

The Carolina Panthers and wide receiver Jalen Coker agreed to a three-year contract extension on Thursday worth $35 million, with incentives potentially taking the deal up to $41 million, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Coker was set to be an exclusive-rights free agent this year and a restricted free agent next year. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross has battled injuries in his first two seasons in the NFL, playing in a total of 22 regular-season games (seven starts) while catching 65 passes for 872 yards and five touchdowns on 89 targets. Coker came on strong late last season for the Panthers and has averaged a healthy 13.4 yards per reception since entering the league. Going into Year 3 in 2026, Coker is expected to be Carolina's primary slot receiver as their No. 2 behind second-year wideout Tetairoa McMillan. If Coker can stay healthy all year, he has clear potential to have a breakout campaign and be a solid sleeper for fantasy managers. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 50 fantasy WR going into the 2026 season. Coker isn't a burner by any means, but he's explosive after the catch and has excellent hands.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette said he lost seven to nine pounds in the offseason and is now down to 221 pounds, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Legette also said he's tried to "bulletproof" his hamstrings after previously having issues with them. The 25-year-old, who was the 32nd overall pick in 2024 out of South Carolina, has failed to live up to his lofty draft capital in his first two years in the NFL in Carolina. Legette has totaled 84 receptions on 148 targets for 860 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 31 regular-season games (25 starts). His production took a dip last year, too, as he finished with a 35-363-3 line on 64 targets across 15 regular-season contests. Last year's first-rounder, Tetairoa McMillan, looks like the real deal, and Jalen Coker appears primed to be a breakout candidate in his third year as the team's WR2. That leaves Legette battling with John Metchie III and rookie Chris Brazzell II for targets as the Panthers' WR3. In standard 12-team fantasy leagues in 2026, Legette should go undrafted.

When Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he came into the league with one of the stranger collegiate careers in recent memory. Never topping 11 receptions, 113 yards, or one score in any of his first four seasons at South Carolina, he exploded for 72 catches, 1,255 yards, and seven touchdowns as a fifth-year senior. While almost everything about his profile screamed fool's gold, his physical makeup paired with the draft capital was enough for dynasty drafters to envision a sky-high ceiling and take a swing, with Legette climbing as high as WR38 in consensus dynasty rankings before ever taking an NFL snap. Through two seasons in the league, it can reasonably be said that the experiment has not worked out, with Legette totaling 84 catches for 860 yards and seven touchdowns to this point in his career. While he has shown sporadic flashes, he's yet to establish any usable fantasy consistency, having put together back-to-back top 40 finishes only once, with WR32 and WR25 results in Weeks 8 and 9 of his rookie season. With Jalen Coker and Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan seemingly locked into the top two-receiver spots in Carolina, Legette's opportunities will likely still be limited heading into year three, and he has fallen to WR118 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker is having a "strong offseason program" and has "arguably been the most consistent offensive performer in front of media during OTAs and minicamp so far," according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. The third-year wideout is making routine plays and "getting open with relative ease." The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross has played in only 22 games due to injuries in his first two years in the NFL, but when on the field, he's been a key contributor for quarterback Bryce Young, catching a total of 65 passes on 89 targets for 872 yards (13.4 yards per catch) and five touchdowns. Last year's first-rounder, Tetairoa McMillan, is the Panthers' clear WR1, but Coker is making a strong case to be the WR2, even with Xavier Legette still in town. The 6-foot-3, 213-pounder has the size, strength, leaping ability, and strong hands to excel all over the field. If he can stay on the field all year, Coker has true breakout potential, and he won't cost much on draft day. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 50 fantasy WR for 2026.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (ankle) said he's feeling good now and is hoping to be ready for the start of training camp at the end of July, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. McMillan was initially tagged with a foot injury and missed some of organized team activities as a precaution, but he took part in the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday despite dealing with some ankle soreness this offseason. It doesn't sound like a very serious issue at all for the 23-year-old, who was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2025 after the Panthers took him eighth overall out of the University of Arizona. McMillan was held out of workouts on Wednesday, likely as a precaution. All signs are pointing to the young pass-catcher being a full-go for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this fall. As Carolina's clear WR1 for QB Bryce Young, he'll be a popular WR2 target this year with upside for more if he takes the next step in Year 2. In his first 17 NFL starts a year ago, McMillan caught 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns on 122 targets to finish as a top-15 wideout in half-PPR scoring.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker has finished each of the past two seasons in memorable fashion. In 2024, it was a then-career-high seven-reception performance in Week 18, and in 2025, he closed out the regular season with another six grabs and a touchdown before turning in the best game of his career in a Wild Card loss to the Rams, finishing the day with 134 yards and a score on nine catches. For the second straight season, he has garnered sleeper buzz, and while a preseason quadriceps injury cost him the first six games of 2025, he appears to be in good health heading into his third season and is locked into one of the top two receiver spots alongside 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan. Including his breakout postseason performance, Coker scored 11.3 half-PPR points per game over his final eight contests, finishing as the WR24 or better five times, and yet, as a consensus dynasty WR5, there is still time to acquire the 24-year-old wideout well below his potential value.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (foot) is back doing drills at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers have been cautious with their WR1 while he deals with a foot issue, and he was recently held out of OTAs as a precaution. The fact that the second-year wideout is back for minicamp means that he'll most likely be a full-go for the start of training camp at the end of July. The 23-year-old eighth overall pick out of the University of Arizona last year was a huge success in his first year in the NFL, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after he caught 70 of his 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season starts as quarterback Bryce Young's go-to target. McMillan finished as the WR13 in half-PPR scoring, which will make him a strong early-round target as a legitimate WR2 with upside for more in his sophomore season.

Expectations around Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks continue to rise, with NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe recently appearing on The Insiders Podcast and stating that if healthy, Brooks could handle lead back responsibilities over veteran Chuba Hubbard. Wolfe noted that the team allowed 2025's leading rusher, Rico Dowdle, to walk in free agency in part because they believe that their 2024 second-round pick is "ready to be the guy". Brooks missed all of the 2025 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee as a rookie, the second such injury to the same knee in just over a year. Coming off an RB15 finish in 2024 that resulted in a multi-year contract extension, Hubbard struggled through inconsistency and injuries of his own in 2025 and eventually ceded lead-back responsibilities to Dowdle, who ended the year with almost 1,400 all-purpose yards and seven total touchdowns. Brooks is RotoBaller's RB 40 in redraft leagues, but that ranking is certain to rise if he continues to pick up steam throughout minicamp and into training camp, and he could become one of 2026's better values for early drafters.

A second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) has yet to get his career off the ground. Brooks entered the NFL recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered in college, and then re-tore the same ACL just three games after making his pro debut. The 22-year-old missed the entire 2025 season as a result of the injury, but he appears to be on track to be ready for the start of 2026. The Panthers let former running back Rico Dowdle walk in free agency without making any notable additions to their backfield, which could mean that the team has confidence in Brooks assuming the RB2 role behind veteran Chuba Hubbard. The Panthers offense featured two fantasy-relevant running backs in 2025, with Hubbard and Dowdle combining for over 2,100 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns. Brooks' injury history obviously brings clear risk, but he could be worth buying low on in dynasty formats ahead of 2026.

Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne currently projects to be behind both Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks on the team's running back depth chart, per Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Etienne recorded just 107 scrimmage yards on 23 touches across 17 games as a rookie. Hubbard has recorded over 3,200 scrimmage yards and 20 touchdowns over the past three seasons for Carolina and profiles as the clear RB1. However, Brooks has been limited to just three games by knee injuries since being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Etienne could work his way past Brooks over the course of the summer. Still, it's notable that the Panthers may be thinking of Brooks as the complement to Hubbard at this point. It's too early to give up on Etienne in dynasty formats, but the 21-year-old has some work to do to establish himself after his underwhelming rookie year.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (foot) missed another OTA practice on Tuesday due to a foot injury that he's been dealing with, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. It's something to watch once training camp rolls around at the end of July, but the 23-year-old second-year pass-catcher's injury isn't believed to be serious and shouldn't cause him to be limited for the start of camp. The 23-year-old was the eighth overall pick by Carolina last year out of the University of Arizona, and he did not disappoint in his rookie campaign. McMillan led the Panthers in receiving and was easily quarterback Bryce Young's go-to target through the air, catching 70 of his 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season starts. He should continue to be a high-volume, big-play option for fantasy managers looking for a safe receiver in the early rounds of 2026 drafts. Right now, McMillan is ranked as the No. 16 fantasy WR for redraft leagues at RotoBaller.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Chris Brazzell II could have a path to immediate production during his rookie season, making him an intriguing pick in 2026 rookie drafts. The third-round pick is a flashy deep threat who uses his speed and acceleration to win matchups against defenders. His ability to get open could help him get on the field early in the season, especially in a wide receiver room where the No. 2 role is up for grabs. Tetairoa McMillan is the clear alpha receiver here, but Brazzell could push to earn more snaps over players like Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette. If that happens, he'll be one of the biggest steals of 2026 fantasy football drafts. At the moment, he projects as an early-to-mid second-round pick in rookie drafts, and he ranks as the WR67 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.

Carolina quarterback Bryce Young has had an up-and-down career since the Panthers made him the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The soon-to-be-25-year-old signal caller was briefly benched in his second season before reclaiming the job due to injury, and in his third season in 2025, he led the Panthers to an 8-9 record and their first playoff appearance since 2017. His fantasy results have also been held down by a lack of consistency, with finishes of QB23, QB20, and QB19. Young's five 2025 weekly results as the QB12 or better marked a career high, but through three seasons in the league, he has yet to string two such finishes together in consecutive weeks, making him a difficult weekly play outside of best ball formats. His best outing in 2025 came in a Week 11 overtime win over the Falcons, in which he threw for 448 yards and scored more than 36 fantasy points. By contrast, in the two games prior, he scored a combined 0.54 fantasy points while playing 100% of the snaps. At RotoBaller's dynasty QB28, Young is a passable QB2 in superflex leagues, but his devastating lows make him more suitable as a luxury third quarterback.

As a sixth-round rookie in 2025, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. failed to make an impact while playing in one of the more wide-open receiver rooms in the league, finishing the year with 108 yards and no scores on 11 receptions. Heading into 2026, the Panthers made minimal additions to a room that falls off quickly behind 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, signing John Metchie III in free agency and spending a third-round pick on Chris Brazzell II, but at only 174 pounds, Horn could still struggle to find the field in an offense that ran the ball at an above-average rate in 2025. With the sturdier Jalen Coker returning from injury in Week 7 and reclaiming primary slot responsibilities, Horn did not top a 31% snap share in any game as a rookie, and there's little reason to believe the diminutive wideout will see a substantial uptick in year two. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR143, he is not a player who needs to be rostered in even the deepest of dynasty leagues.

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (leg) looks freshly healthy during OTA practices this week and was cutting laterally like he did before suffering a season-ending leg injury in 2025, according to Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer. Sanders played in 13 games (five starts) last year in his second season in the NFL before suffering a broken right fibula in December that required surgery. The 23-year-old former fourth-rounder (101st overall) in 2024 out of the University of Texas caught 29 of his 34 targets for 190 yards and one touchdown before his injury. He's batting Tommy Tremble for the title of top pass-catching TE in Carolina, but Sanders has more fantasy upside long-term if he can stay on the field. Tremble is the better blocker of the two, and Sanders caught 33 passes for 342 yards and a score in 16 games (eight starts) in his first year in the league for the Panthers. Until we see more from Sanders in Year 3, he'll merely be a TE streaming option when bye weeks hit in 2026. RotoBaller currently has Sanders ranked as the No. 39 TE going into the upcoming campaign.

Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne was a non-factor for fantasy after being selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the door remains at least partially open for him to claim a role in his second season. With the team's leading rusher from 2025, Rico Dowdle, signing a two-year deal with the Steelers, the lead back job has been turned back over to Chuba Hubbard, who did what he could to fight through injuries but ultimately disappointed in the first year of the four-year extension he signed in 2024. Behind him on the depth chart is 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, who was the first running back selected in his draft class but has become a giant question mark after tearing his ACL for the second time in 13 months as a rookie and missing the entirety of his sophomore campaign. With Hubbard one of the least efficient pass-catching backs in the league over the past two seasons, how much Brooks can provide as a receiver will prove to be the single biggest obstacle to Etienne finding work in 2026. Etienne was a capable receiving back in college, and if he can carve out any sort of third-down role with the Panthers, he at least has a chance to outplay expectations as RotoBaller's dynasty RB95.

Carolina Panthers second-year wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (undisclosed) is not practicing with the rest of the team during OTA practice on Tuesday and is working with the training staff, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers haven't announced a specific injury for McMillan, but it's expected to be a minor ailment as the club begins their OTAs this week. The 23-year-old impressed in his first year in the NFL in 2025 after Carolina selected him with the eighth overall pick out of the University of Arizona. McMillan quickly developed a strong relationship with quarterback Bryce Young and was his go-to target all year, leading the team with 70 receptions, 1,014 yards, and seven touchdowns on 122 targets across 17 regular-season starts. He finished as the WR15 in half-PPR scoring and will be a high-end WR2 target in fantasy drafts this fall with upside to become a true WR1 in his sophomore season for the Panthers. The arrow is pointing directly up after McMillan was named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2025.

Entering 2026, Carolina Panthers wide receiver John Metchie III will be playing for his fourth team in four NFL seasons. The 25-year-old started 2025 with the Philadelphia Eagles, earning just four targets across seven games with the team. A midseason trade to the New York Jets allowed him more playing time, and he hauled in 29 catches for 256 yards and two scores on 44 targets across nine games with New York. With the Panthers, Metchie III's playing time is far from guaranteed. However, outside of 2025 first-round wideout Tetairoa McMillan, no Carolina wideout has ever recorded 50 receptions in a season. Metchie III should also have existing chemistry with Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, as the two of them played their college football together at the University of Alabama. In deeper dynasty formats, Metchie III could be a worthy buy-low dart throw for fantasy managers entering 2026.

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has seen his dynasty value fluctuate wildly since coming into the league as a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma State in the 2021 NFL Draft. After beginning his career as a backup to Christian McCaffrey, Hubbard broke out with an RB15 finish in 2024 in a year that most presumed the Carolina backfield would run through second-round pick Jonathon Brooks. With Brooks missing the entire 2025 season after re-tearing the ACL in his right knee, presumptions shifted again, and Hubbard came into the year as the RB19 in consensus dynasty rankings. Unfortunately, injuries and inefficiency saw him take a backseat to Rico Dowdle for much of the year while he averaged less than four yards per carry and fell as low as RB42 in those same rankings. With Dowdle signing a two-year deal with the Steelers in free agency, lead back duties in Carolina again appear to belong to Hubbard. That said, little has gone as planned for Panthers running backs of late, and Brooks should be close to full health to begin a season for the first time in his professional career. Hubbard is in the second season of the four-year extension he signed in 2024, and while the team could save $6 million by moving on from him before 2027, he appears to be part of the team's plans both presently and moving forward. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB33, the soon-to-be-27-year-old sixth-year veteran finally feels appropriately priced.