QB Bryce Young
(2025 QB Rank: 27, 15.4 FPts/G)
Bryce Young's 2025 season was his best so far as a pro. He improved
in practically every statistical category that mattered from his
previous two seasons: touchdowns, yards, completion percentage,
and yards per attempt. Young has come a long way since his benching
in 2024 -- a move that prematurely triggered the "bust" label on
the then-second-year pro. To his credit, his play has upgraded his
stock to the degree that he is now considered a draftable option.
That said, "draftable option" in Young's case is not
a significant improvement from this time last year, when he was
coming off a strong finish to 2024 that included seven touchdown
passes and zero interceptions over the final three games. Comments
about his lack of size are one thing, but his lack of offensive
weapons should also be taken into consideration when evaluating
his fantasy prospects. That shortage of playmakers is a major
reason Young topped 200 passing yards in only four games last
season, with the last one coming in the season finale.
Young is perhaps worth taking a flyer on late in 2QB leagues
because he is improving as an NFL signal-caller. But that improvement
has yet to transfer to the fantasy world, and 2026 could bring
more of the same.
RB Chuba Hubbard
(2025 RB Rank: 47, 7.5 FPts/G)
The Panthers signed Chuba Hubbard to an extension last summer,
which, in addition to rookie Jonathon Brooks suffering another
serious injury and not playing at all in 2025, signaled to many
that Hubbard was set to dominate Carolina's backfield. Hubbard
began 2025 as the lead back, with double-digit carries in each
of the season's first six games confirming his status. But then
Rico Dowdle happened.
Over his next nine games, Hubbard reached double-digit carries
only once. That coincided with Dowdle receiving the lion's share
of snaps and carries, relegating Hubbard -- and his lone touchdown
during that stretch -- to fantasy benches. Dowdle is now in Pittsburgh,
and Hubbard's only real competition for carries is the oft-injured
Brooks.
Hubbard is ranked as a low-end RB2, but I think that's a bit
high for a running back whose production was trending in the wrong
direction as 2025 came to a close. Additionally, when you consider
Brooks' return and the team's optimism for him as a former second-round
pick, Hubbard's outlook as a reliable RB2 feels overly optimistic.
Even if Brooks doesn't take over the way Dowdle did last year,
his presence in the offense could cap Hubbard's upside. Tread
lightly with Hubbard and view him more as an RB3.
Jonathon Brooks blew out his right knee for the second time in
13 months on his 12th touch of 2025. He missed the rest of the
season as a result, and that has likely pushed him to the back
of many fantasy managers' minds. That could pay off for those
patient enough to stomach what is expected to be a feeling-out
process during the first half of 2026 -- for both Brooks and the
Panthers.
Had Brooks not gotten hurt in November of his final college season
at Texas, he likely would have been a first-round pick. He replaced
Bijan Robinson for the Longhorns, and while Brooks is not in Robinson's
class, he showed the kind of explosiveness that arguably made
him the top running back prospect in the 2024 draft.
Whether the two knee injuries have robbed him of that explosiveness
remains to be seen. But there should be at least some optimism,
considering the start of the 2026 season will mark roughly 18
months since his latest injury. At worst, Brooks becomes a thorn
in the side of Hubbard fantasy managers as part of a committee.
At best, he becomes Rico Dowdle 2.0 and takes over the lead-back
role in Carolina.
For drafting purposes, Brooks is currently going as an RB4. That's
a fair ranking. Grabbing him in that range is a low-risk, high-reward
value. Exercising patience, however, will be necessary if you
decide to pull the trigger.
WR Tetairoa McMillan
(2025 WR Rank: 26, 10.5 FPts/G)
Tetairoa McMillan entered the 2025 season as Carolina's unquestioned
WR1, and he didn't disappoint. Not only did he lead the team in
every receiving category, but he finished the season with twice
as many targets, receptions, and receiving touchdowns as the next
player, along with nearly three times as many receiving yards.
With a year of NFL experience under his belt, fantasy managers
should expect more of the same in 2026.
The degree to which he develops as an NFL receiver -- and the
degree to which he rises to fantasy stardom -- will rely heavily
on Bryce Young's continued maturation at quarterback. The good
news for McMillan is the lack of competition for targets. Not
only is there plenty of youth in the receiver room, but it's youth
that hasn't produced much at the NFL level.
Carolina's passing game is all about McMillan, plain and simple.
He's being drafted as a high-end WR2 but could easily finish as
a WR1 if everything breaks right. As it stands, draft him confidently
as your WR2.
WR Jalen Coker
(2025 WR Rank: 66, 6.7 FPts/G)
Jalen Coker has played in 22 NFL games. In those games, he's
eclipsed 100 receiving yards twice and caught more than five passes
twice. That's simply not enough to warrant significant fantasy
consideration. In addition, being the second option on a team
that lacks explosive plays while your quarterback is still developing
further diminishes fantasy appeal.
That said, the Panthers believe in Coker, giving him a three-year
contract extension during minicamp that solidified his role as
the second option in an average passing attack. Coker could be
worth monitoring, but he's no McMillan, and his reliability would
be questionable even if McMillan were to miss time with an injury.
He's a WR5 in fantasy who is startable only in the most desperate
situations.
TE Tommy Tremble
(2025 TE Rank: 56, 3.4 FPts/G)
The tight end position in Carolina is a fantasy wasteland. Whether
it's Tommy Tremble or Ja'Tavion
Sanders, there simply isn't much fantasy value to be found
among Panthers tight ends. Neither topped 30 receptions last season
or cracked the top 50 in fantasy points per game.
You would be best served looking elsewhere for depth at the position.
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