Mailbag: Who are the fantasy football playmakers on the Carolina Panthers’ roster?
The Carolina Panthers are heading into Sunday’s season opener against the New Orleans Saints with several new faces on their roster.
So, naturally, the Carolina faithful are curious about the upside of first-year head coach Dave Canales and his crew as they enter a Week 1 matchup.
The Observer has brought back the Panthers mailbag to answer questions from fans.
Here are some standout questions from social media:
Panthers worthy of fantasy football rosters
Rich asks: How many fantasy relevant players are on this roster?
Mike Kaye: For this year specifically, I think there are two names: Diontae Johnson and Chuba Hubbard.
If you’re in a dynasty league, I’d understand the draw and allure of Jonathon Brooks, Jonathan Mingo and Xavier Legette.
But with 2024 in mind, Johnson and Hubbard are probably going to be the most relevant. Both playmakers are in contract years as they take on the top jobs at their respective positions.
Johnson’s chemistry with QB Bryce Young has been evident since the offseason program. I expect Johnson to be able to hit 900 receiving yards or more if he stays healthy throughout the season. Johnson wants to be paid like a top-tier receiver, and he has the talent and the setup to make the most of this “prove it” season with Carolina.
He’s probably a WR3 in fantasy terms.
Hubbard should get the ball a ton this season. The Panthers should want to run him into the ground as a contract-year running back, and Hubbard should embrace that opportunity.
Hubbard ran for 902 yards and five touchdowns as a part-time starter last year. Canales wants to run the ball a lot, and Hubbard is a guy who doesn’t really lose yardage. He’s a churner rather than a burner, and the Panthers want to have a balanced offense. Hubbard’s style complements that approach.
If a fantasy manager can get Hubbard as an RB3 or RB4, that’s a pretty sweet add.
With Brooks, losing at least four games on the non-football injury (NFI) list probably makes him a mid-season flier based on the outlook of Hubbard being a potential letdown as the top running back. I don’t think drafting him in a league of 10 teams or fewer is as appealing as some national outlets have made that outlook seem.
Mingo and Legette would be true last-round fliers. I also expect Adam Thielen’s production to drop significantly with all of the new mouths to feed on offense.
Any more roster moves for Carolina?
Zach asks: Is there anyone you feel the Panthers should have or still need to target to improve this roster?
In regard to the waiver wire, I felt former Clemson pass rusher KJ Henry was a really nice fit for the Panthers. Carolina instead claimed Jamie Sheriff from the Seattle Seahawks after his three-sack performance in the preseason.
Otherwise, I don’t think they really missed out on anyone on waivers.
In free agency, former Jaguars, Ravens, Vikings and Colts pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue is still available.
With D.J. Wonnum (quad) and Amare Barno (knee) on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list for at least four weeks, the team is relying on Jadeveon Clowney and a group of what-if prospects at the outside linebacker position.
I like the idea of Ngakoue as a third-down pass-rushing specialist who can come in when it’s a down-and-distance play that the Panthers need to squash. Ngakoue, while not a proficient run defender, is complementary to the traits of D.J. Johnson, who should probably have an early down role opposite Clowney.
Don’t be too defensive
Glenn asks: In your opinion, are concerns about the defense overblown?
Yes and no.
I think the interior positions on this defense are quite good. I like the depth on the interior defensive line and I think the safety and inside linebacker groups run at least three strong at each position.
I do have a lot of concern about the edge rushers, because as stated above, it’s basically Clowney and a bunch of unknowns. I haven’t seen anything from Johnson or K’Lavon Chaisson (update: Chaisson was released Tuesday) that makes me think they can create regular pressure, and Eku Leota and Sheriff are still very much in the prospect mold.
At cornerback, the base group isn’t a complete disaster if Jaycee Horn is healthy. The issue is Horn has only played in 22 of 51 eligible games over the past three seasons, so it’s hard to say his durability (or lack thereof) is comforting.
There is a massive talent drop-off between Horn and the rest of the depth chart, making Horn’s availability all the more paramount in the first month of the season with Dane Jackson on injured reserve.
Mike Jackson is a replacement-level talent as a fill-in starter opposite Horn, while Hill has been solid as an aging slot defender.
I was really impressed by rookie Chau Smith-Wade this summer, and I expect him to back up all three corner positions during the first two weeks of the season. The trio of corners claimed off waivers are intriguing projects until they aren’t anymore.
This is a defense that is built from the inside out with talent. The scheme, though, is very secondary-friendly, which is a good thing when you try to project the (lack of) pass rusher production.
This is a building-block year, not the final product, clearly.
Welcomed waiver-wire pickups
Jon asks: Which of the waiver-wire pickups excites you the most?
Keenan Isaac, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound cornerback, is a guy I had on our list of potential waiver-wire claim options on Tuesday.
I think his length and small-school learning curve make him a really strong long-term fit for the program that Canales is trying to build with GM Dan Morgan. Isaac is raw but he has the athletic traits and size to contribute on special teams immediately, and eventually become a cog for the defense.
I’m intrigued by fellow cornerback Shemar Bartholomew, if only because he was the most sought-after player on the post-cut deadline waiver wire.
Bartholomew didn’t stick out a ton during joint practice this summer with the New York Jets, but I did think he flashed a bit in the follow-up preseason game. It’ll be interesting to see how they use the young corner off the bat.
Sheriff, whom I mentioned earlier, is appealing because his preseason production of three sacks is eye-opening. This team is lacking pass rush, and Sheriff should get early opportunities to prove himself if he can quickly learn the defense.
Jon Rhattigan, a special teams ace from Seattle, is a nice addition. He’s a core-four guy who has a background with special teams coordinator Tracy Smith. I think giving the coordinator an ace that he knows he can depend upon is important, not only for the staff, but the players around him.
This story was originally published September 3, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
