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Carolina Panthers Writers

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Team Philosophy

New offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo wasn't a splashy hire, but he's an experienced play-caller. He tends to run simpler concepts, which presents opposing defenses with fewer looks to process but also simplifies things for his own quarterbacks. He also focuses more on the underneath passing game, which plays to the strengths of Carolina's personnel with superstar receiving back Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield and receiver D.J. Moore more than capable of getting yards after the catch.

Quarterbacks

Starter

• Baker Mayfield

Key Backups

• Sam Darnold, P.J. Walker, Matt Corral [R] (inj)

The Panthers quarterback situation changed in the blink of an eye after an early-July trade with the Cleveland Browns for Baker Mayfield. Mayfield enters the fray as the expected Week 1 starter and immediately gives the offense an upgrade over their previous room that included Sam Darnold and rookie Matt Corral. Mayfield, a former #1 overall pick from 2018 started off strong with 27 touchdown passes as a rookie but his career has tailed off since then. He did produce 3,500 yards passing with 26 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 2020, but a shoulder injury slowed his pace in 2021. The decision to trade for Deshaun Watson left a sour taste in Mayfield's mouth and there was speculation that he played his last game in Cleveland. A trade to Carolina may be exactly what he needs to right the ship. The offense in Carolina receives a boost with Mayfield's presence, which is a definite step-up from Sam Darnold.

Sam Darnold will be in competition with veteran PJ. Walker for the backup role which he'll likely win, however a preseason sprained ankle will keep him shelved until possibly October. Darnold's attempt to find success in the NFL stalled after a less-than-desirable 2021 season with the Panthers. Only rookie, Zach Wilson (69.7) had a lower quarterback rating than Darnold (71.9) in 2021. Rookie, Matt Corral has shown the ability to make plays with his feet but that is not his central objective. He works well in fast situations and makes timely reads which will be a huge attribute in Carolina's offense. His knowledge and execution in various RPO (run, pass, option) situations will come in handy in his understanding and grasp of the offense. Corral improved his efficiency at Ole Miss in 2021, throwing only 5 interceptions with 20 touchdown passes. He also added 11 more on the ground. He finished with a 68% completion percentage which will come in handy in the fast-paced NFL. He has an opportunity to be effective with Carolina and he possesses the skills that the coaching staff is looking for. Corral left the second preseason game with a foot injury which was determined to be a Lisfranc injury. If it requires surgery, as it most likely will, it will end his season. P.J. Walker rounds out the quarterback depth. He showed some promise in a 20-0 shutout win against Detroit in 2020, as well as a convincing road win against Arizona in 2021, but he is far from a polished option for Carolina. On the bright side, Walker has two professional games under his belt where he has attempted at least 15 passes. Both of those games were wins. He has known Panthers head coach Matt Rhule going back to his days with Temple.

Running Backs

Starter

• Christian McCaffrey

Key Backups

• Chuba Hubbard, DOnta Foreman, Spencer Brown, Darius Bradwell

Christian McCaffrey is one of the best running backs in the league when it comes to fantasy production. He is an accomplished rusher and receiver who is heavily involved in the Panthers offense. A high ankle sprain, shoulder ailment, and quad injury hampered his path in 2020 which limited him to only three games. A hamstring injury that was later re-injured slowed his return to prominence in 2021. Despite being a well-conditioned athlete, injuries have hampered him in back-to-back seasons. He will be 26 in June and his time as an elite weapon in the league appears to be finite.

When Christian McCaffrey is healthy, the Panthers' backup running backs don't see much game time, let alone production. That may change as McCaffrey becomes older and endures more hits and wear. Battling McCaffrey for backup duties is Chuba Hubbard, who will be entering his second year in the league, and veteran D'Onta Foreman who Carolina signed as a free agent in the offseason. Hubbard had his moments last year in place of McCaffrey but after Ameer Abdullah was signed in Week 7, Hubbard had eight catches over the final ten games of the season. His involvement may change in 2022 but whenever McCaffrey is healthy he has not seen much of a respite from game action. The other option for Carolina outside of McCaffrey is veteran D'Onta Foreman who revived his career after an Achilles injury severely lessened his role in 2018. It wasn't until 2021 when he capitalized on his opportunity with the Titans after Derrick Henry was lost to a foot injury. Foreman helped fill the void for Tennessee which included three 100-yard efforts and touchdowns in three of the last five games. Foreman gives the Panthers a power-back option at running back and a decent replacement if the need arises.

Wide Receivers

Starters

• D.J. Moore, Robbie Anderson

Key Backups

• Laviska Shenault, Rashard Higgins, Terrace Marshall, Brandon Zylstra, Shi Smith, C.J. Saunders, Aaron Parker

D.J. Moore is the Panthers' top downfield option and despite less than stellar quarterback play over the last three years, he has amassed 1,200 total yards in each of those seasons. On the downside, he has only scored 14 times in four years which is the only reason why he is not considered an elite fantasy wide receiver. An improvement at the quarterback position and overall success of the offense would help elevate Moore into heavily coveted fantasy waters. Robbie Anderson is currently the #2 option in the Panthers' wide receiver corps heading into the 2022 season. A career year in 2020 that included 95 catches for 1,097 yards and 3 touchdowns is sandwiched in between two much less productive 52 and 53-catch seasons. Interestingly enough, Anderson has 13 touchdowns in three years, eight of which came with Carolina. Laviska Shenault was a late-August trade from Jacksonville. He figures to be involved as a hybrid RB-WR who can be an additional weapon out of the backfield or as a receiver. He lacks explosive speed but he makes up for it with surprising elusivness for a 6'2, 220 pound receiver. He may not have a large role on offense without an injury ahead of him on the depth chart.

Carolina's #4 option at wide receiver and expected backups are led by Terrace Marshall, the upstart, but young receiver from LSU who will be entering his second year in the league. Marshall has adequate, if not above-average talent at the position but he is also young (will turn 22 in June). Despite having a few promising games early in 2021, Marshall disappeared in the home stretch and was not involved in the offense, especially after Carolina moved on from offensive coordinator, Joe Brady last December. Marshall is younger than many draft prospects entering the league and in many ways is like an additional draft pick for the Panthers in 2022. He will have a chance to grow and develop in Ben McAdoo's offense. Aside from Marshall, Carolina signed veteran Rashard Higgins in the offseason. Higgins has been a complementary receiver since joining the Browns in 2016. His best year was 2018 when he had 39 catches for 572 yards and 4 touchdowns. This type of player has performed well for Carolina in the past, giving needed contributions from time to time. Jerricho Cotchery comes to mind as a player who fills a particular niche but never becomes a fantasy asset to target. Higgins fits that role with the Panthers in 2022. Other backups who may play a role with Carolina in 2022 include Brandon Zylstra and Shi Smith. Zylstra has had his moments between the sidelines, including the #3 wide receiver in receptions (18) in 2021. Smith is the one to watch as a player who could earn more targets in the slot. His 5-foot-10 and 190-pound frame and fast speed may finally pay dividends as he graduates from special teams into a role that could benefit from his skill set.

Tight Ends

Starter

• Tommy Tremble

Key Backups

• Ian Thomas, Stephen Sullivan, Colin Thompson

The Panthers tight ends have not had much fantasy appeal since Matt Rhule came on in 2020. They did improve on 27 receptions in 2020 to 45 in 2021. The group as a whole caught one touchdown in 2021. Early on Carolina made the decision to trade Dan Arnold to acquire cornerback help but their reasoning for doing so might have been the surprisingly good play and potential of rookie Tommy Tremble. Tremble led the group with 20 receptions in 2021 and he had the lone touchdown. He had seven games with 2+ receptions and remains a player who should continue to develop in Carolina's offensive structure in 2022 and beyond.

Offensive Linemen

Starters

• LT Ikem Ekwonu [R]
• LG Michael Jordan
• C Bradley Bozeman
• RG Austin Corbett
• RT Taylor Moton

Key Backups

• Pat Elflein, Cam Erving, Brady Christensen, Cade Mays

Right tackle Taylor Moton is the only returning player from last year's starting lineup. Center Bradley Bozeman (Baltimore) and right guard Austin Corbett (LA Rams) arrived from free agency, and Michael Jordan will man the left guard spot. The blind side will be manned by local rookie Ikem Ekwonu (first round, NC State) and Brady Christensen will be the swing tackle. The widespread change starts this team at the bottom of the rankings but they have more upside to improve than any other group.

Kickers

• Zane Gonzalez

Returners

Kickoff Returners

• Andre Roberts, Chuba Hubbard

In May the Panthers signed receiver Andre Roberts, by far the most experienced return specialist in the league today. Roberts will be trying to make his ninth NFL team in his thirteen seasons in the league, and if he does so he's a near-lock to handle all of the team's return responsibilities.

Punt Returners

• Andre Roberts, Shi Smith

In May the Panthers signed receiver Andre Roberts, by far the most experienced return specialist in the league today. Roberts will be trying to make his ninth NFL team in his thirteen seasons in the league, and if he does so he's a near-lock to handle all of the team's return responsibilities.

Team Defense

The Carolina Panthers' defense made a big improvement over last year. The Panthers' defense went from the 18th ranked total defense in 2020 to finishing 2nd last season. The Carolina defense only allowed three first-quarter touchdowns all season; all three were rushing touchdowns. The Panthers have spent 14 draft picks on the defensive side of the ball since the arrival of Head Coach Matt Rhule. The Panthers' defense has been finding its way with several young players led by star players Brian Burns and Jeremy Chinn. The two biggest struggles for Carolina were takeaways (28th in the NFL) and defensive penalties (8th most in the NFL). Only four teams finished with fewer takeaways than the Panthers did last season, 16 takeaways just isn't enough for how talented of a unit they are. The NFL league average was 22 takeaways. There's no secret extending opposing offenses' drives by committing penalties is never going to help you reach your full potential as an NFL defense. The Panthers finished top 5 in the NFL in both passing and rushing first downs allowed in 2021. The Carolina Panthers will play the 12th hardest schedule among teams heading into the 2022 season. The Panthers will face Tom Brady twice and also will see top signal-callers like Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, and Matt Stafford this season. The Panthers' defense will face several dual-threat QBs who surely will pose quite a challenge this season. The defense will not be afforded the same opportunity they had a season ago of playing a weak schedule out of the gate, they will however be at home for four of their first six games before finishing the season with two straight division games on the road.

Defensive Linemen

Starters

• DE Brian Burns, DE Yetur Gross-Matos, DT Derrick Brown, DT Matt Ioannidis

Key Backups

• DE Amare Barno [R], DT Daviyon Nixon, DT Bravvion Roy

The Carolina defensive line was very productive last season with two players finishing in the Top 13 of all defensive linemen. The Panthers' defensive front is led by former 2019 first-round pick Brian Burns, he's joined by Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos who were first and second-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. This unit finished tied for 7th in the NFL in pressure percentage (26.1%). There's no secret that Brian Burns is the most valuable along the defensive front for Carolina and his production is not easily replaceable. This season even more pressure will be on the young pass rushers' shoulders with the departure of Haason Reddick who left in free agency for the Philadelphia Eagles. Burns will remain the focal point of opposing offenses in 2021, he's averaging 8.5 sacks over his first three seasons and as long as he stays healthy it's practical to think he will reach that mark again in 2022. The time has come for the former Penn State pass rusher to step up for the Panthers. Yetur Gross-Matos was selected 38th overall in the 2020 NFL draft. He's recorded six sacks over his first 26 games despite only starting nine games. We haven't seen the true impact of what he can do as an IDP with him only playing 43% of defensive snaps over his first two seasons. Gross-Matos did finish with a 63.9 PFF grade last season, he finished 62nd of 113 edge defenders. The Carolina defensive end should be in line for a considerable boost in snaps. Haason Reddick played 83% of defensive snaps a season ago resulting in 11 sacks. If Yetur Gross-Matos can put it all together this year you should be looking for him to finish around the 8+ sack mark this season. Derrick Brown has turned in two average seasons since being drafted by Carolina in the 1st round of the 2020 NFL draft. Brown has posted 75 tackles and three sacks while tallying up 31 pressures in his first two seasons. The Panthers' defensive tackle finished as the DL54 last season and averaged 11.32 fantasy points per game. The former Auburn Tiger is most valuable in defensive tackle-premium formats but he has shown decent production lining up mostly over guards and offensive tackles. If Brown can continue to improve on his sack numbers as he did from his first to the second year he will improve his fantasy stock and become a household name among IDP managers. Pro Football Focus graded Derrick Brown's 2021 season at 64.2 which was good for 43rd of 128 qualifying defensive tackles. Ioannidis was signed to a one-year deal worth a little under six million dollars. The team hopes he can shine after getting out of the shadow of the first-round picks playing ahead of him in Washington.

Amare' Barno has a great opportunity to make an impact as a rookie. The Carolina defensive line has holes to fill. Barno made the switch from linebacker to defensive end in college, he's been productive recording 10 sacks over the past two seasons. The easiest way to put this is Barno is still learning the position. It may take time for him to develop but he has the athletic ability and explosiveness to make an impact. Even if Barno plays less than 50% of the snaps this season he should still have a chance to afford IDP managers some spot start or bye week fill-in value. Marquis Haynes is a rotational defensive lineman with very little value. He should be an option on your waiver wire most weeks. Haynes played only 21% of snaps last season, his second-lowest percentage of his career. Although he did not play enough snaps to qualify for a positional rank, Haynes finished with the best PFF grade (72.0) of all Carolina Panthers' defensive linemen. The Panthers' pass rusher collected 20 stops and three sacks last season. If an injury happens in front of Haynes and we are allowed to see him as a full-time starter there might be some real value. Nixon is coming off of ACL surgery and could provide quality depth inside if his recovery goes well.

Linebackers

Starters

• OLB Shaq Thompson, ILB Frankie Luvu, OLB Damien Wilson

Key Backups

• LB Cory Littleton, LB Brandon Smith [R]

Shaq Thompson has done his best to fill in as the team leader at LB since Luke Kuechly retired. The former Washington Husky defender has collected over 100+ tackles in three straight seasons despite playing more than 14 games just once. Thompson finished the 2020 season as the LB30 while averaging 14.43 fantasy points per game. Last season the Carolina LB finished the season as the LB31 with an average of 17.86 points per game, good for 21st among all LBs in 2021. Thompson will be entering his 8th season with the Panthers. He received a 72.1 PFF grade ranking him 12th among 89 qualifying LBs in 2021. Shaq Thompson's 2021 season was very up and down and there are plenty of reasons for IDP managers to be concerned going forward. Thompson only started 13 games in 2021, he posted his highest missed tackle rate (11.9%) of his career while also blitzing just 45 times (his lowest total over the past three seasons). On the positive side, he fared well in coverage allowing three-year lows in targets (56), touchdowns (0), and QB rating allowed (68.0). Thompson has been consistent, reliable, and effective with his snaps as the Panthers' lead linebacker. The biggest concern is his health and if he can remain on the field as he enters his late 20s and early 30s. IDP managers should be looking at Thompson as more of an LB3 with upside to finish in the top 24 rather than thinking he will be a top 12 scorer at the position. Damien Wilson is a veteran LB who has spent time with four different teams since 2018. Wilson had the best year of his career statistically with Jacksonville in 2021. He finished with 106 tackles and three sacks while finishing as LB46. Damien Wilson benefited from the Jaguars dealing Joe Schobert before the season which allowed him to start all 17 games at linebacker for the first time in his career. Wilson will look to bring in his veteran presence for his third different team in three years when he joins the Carolina Panthers this season. Wilson will look to provide some stability for the Panthers' defense as he takes over for Jermaine Carter who left in free agency. Unfortunately, for the Panthers, this isn't much of an upgrade for them as both Carter and Wilson were graded as two of the worst linebackers by Pro Football Focus last season. All IDP managers should be looking at Wilson as nothing more than a bridge player for Carolina or rotational depth at linebacker. He's not a very good linebacker but brings strong experience as a special teams player. He's much better for real football than fantasy football. Frankie Luvu is one of the hardest players to evaluate in this group of Carolina Panthers linebackers. Luvu was graded as the highest linebacker among the Panthers' group last year at 84.8 despite only playing 23% of defensive snaps. Luvu was used in multiple roles in 2021 and he did well but excelled as a pass-rushing linebacker. The Panthers linebacker turned 31 blitzes into 7 pressures, 3 hurries, 2 QB knockdowns, and 1.5 sacks. The Panthers rewarded Luvu with a 2 year $9 million extension this year so it's clear they value him but in what capacity is the question. His 2021 season alone proves he deserves more than just 23% of snaps but his future as an every-down linebacker doesn't seem likely. IDP managers should proceed with caution and monitor the Carolina linebacker situation over the year. Luvu finished with 114.2 fantasy points last season to finish just inside the top 100 linebackers in IDP leagues. If he can keep up his play there's a chance he can continue to improve, earn more snaps, and at worst be a nice depth piece on your roster.

Brandon Smith is the next linebacker up from Penn State who has put some very effective fantasy football players in the NFL over the years. Smith walks into a great situation in Carolina with uncertainty at the position which should give him a chance to make an early impact. Outside of Shaq Thompson, this should be the most attractive linebacker on Carolina's roster for IDP managers. Smith has the speed to play sideline to sideline, what he lacks in instincts for such a young player he makes up for in physicality. The Panthers drafted a good one in Brandon Smith who finished top-five among all linebackers at the combine in the 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jump. The Panthers ran two-linebacker sets 73% of the time last season and had three LBs on the field just 10% of the time. Smith will have to prove to the coaching staff that he belongs to see significant snaps early but an injury ahead of him could give him a big opportunity. Brandon Smith has been drafted in the 5th round or later of almost all IDP rookie drafts so far this off-season. He's a low-risk high reward player that you can afford to gamble on in IDP leagues. The Carolina Panthers took a flier on veteran Cory Littleton who signed a one-year $2.6 million deal with the team in free agency. Littleton is years removed from his 2018 season when he finished 2nd team All-Pro and was voted to his first and only Pro Bowl. While with the Rams in 2019 and 2019 Littleton collected 259 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and 5 interceptions. It's safe to say he's not nearly the same player he was due to injuries and age but he can still be a serviceable linebacker for fantasy football purposes. It appears pretty clear how much of a product of the Rams system Littleton was as he hasn't come close to the same type of player since he departed. Although, he has finished with at least 82 tackles including at least 51 solos in each of his past two seasons. The veteran linebacker was used a lot in coverage last year and he was not good and frankly has never been. Littleton has given up over 70% completion rate and allowed over a 94.0 QB rating in each of his past four seasons. If Cory Littleton is going to reappear on most IDP managers' radar it will be as a high-volume tackler who can read and react to plays. I'm not sure that opportunity presents itself in Carolina right away but there are worse options at linebacker, and he's practically free to acquire in IDP leagues.

Defensive Backs

Starters

• CB Donte Jackson, CB Jaycee Horn, NCB Myles Hartsfield, S Jeremy Chinn, S Xavier Woods

Key Backups

• CB C.J. Henderson, CB Keith Taylor, CB Rashaan Melvin, S Sean Chandler, S Juston Burris

When speaking about the top tier of defensive backs in fantasy football that conversation should not end without Jeremy Chinn's name being mentioned. Chinn has been as good as advertised since being drafted by Carolina 64th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. Over his first two seasons, he has collected 224 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, two interceptions, 2 sacks, and two defensive touchdowns. Chinn has finished as a top-five scoring defensive back in each of his first two seasons. Chinn continues to be the stud in the Panthers' secondary a big part of his fantasy production is tied to his ability to play box snaps. Chinn is effectively a linebacker out there for the Panthers' defense almost as much as he is a member of the secondary. Chinn has averaged 273.25 fantasy points per season over his first two years and I expect that to continue. If IDP managers are looking for a top-tier DB in either redraft or dynasty fantasy football you've found the total package in Carolina's Jeremy Chinn. The Carolina Panthers seemed to have enough of their issues at deep safety when they decided to bring in former Minnesota Vikings safety Xavier Woods. He signed a three-year $15.75 million deal to greatly improve the Panthers' deep secondary. Woods had a great year in 2021 finishing as the DB8 on the season while averaging 16.70 fantasy points per game. Woods played a large number of snaps in the deep safety role, a very big need for Carolina heading into next season. It's unlikely Woods and Chinn both finish in the top 10 of DB scoring as they did last year but having these two in the same secondary is a big improvement from what the Panthers had a year ago. Fantasy football managers should expect a dip in production for Xavier Woods, I expect him to remain in the high 70s range for tackles rather than the 100+ tackle season he had with the Vikings. He posted career highs in touchdowns allowed and interceptions in 2021 he will need to improve on his coverage to remain a consistent IDP going forward. Donte Jackson played the highest percentage of defensive snaps among cornerbacks for the Panthers in 2021. Jackson received a 61.3 overall grade from PFF which was 72nd among 121 cornerbacks. The Panthers rewarded Jackson with a three-year extension keeping him in Carolina until 2025. The former LSU defensive back has averaged 52 tackles and 3 interceptions per season over his first four seasons. He's an afterthought in IDP leagues that aren't corner-required but he does have value as a bye-week fill-in player who can still help you win your matchup on a given week. Carolina Panthers fans and fantasy managers alike felt robbed when Jaycee Horn was limited to just three games in his rookie season before a broken foot cost him the remainder of his first season. Horn was limited to just five tackles and an interception over his first three NFL games but his ability as a one-on-one cover corner was already starting to make a big impact on the way Carolina played defense. Horn may never be a valuable asset in IDP leagues but his impact on the game is very important. Fantasy managers playing in leagues where you must start at least one cornerback should be looking at Horn as a potential starter for their teams in 2022.

The former Florida Gator and 9th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, C.J. Henderson was traded to the Carolina Panthers last season. He failed to make an instant impact and graded out 110th of 121 qualifying cornerbacks per Pro Football Focus. It remains to be seen if C.J. Henderson can be a consistent fantasy player but just two years into the league he's managed just 75 tackles and one interception. This production is not enough to be in consideration for fantasy managers to look to add him even in CB-required leagues. Chandler started seven games for the team last year and they liked his performance enough to bring him back as important depth in the secondary. He'll compete with Burris, who the team also brought back after the two-year deal he signed in 2020 expired.