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Panthers WR Robbie Anderson led the Panthers in targets (8), receptions (5) and receiving yards (102) in Sunday's loss to the Browns, with an 75-yard TD delivering most of that production. WR D.J. Moore checked in 2nd with 6 targets, catching 3 for 43 yards. Anderson claimed nearly 30% of Panthers targets for the game, with Moore garnering 22.2%.
The Panthers officially named QB Baker Mayfield their starter. This was expected since Carolina swung a trade for Mayfield in early July. He started the preseason opener over QB Sam Darnold, going 4-of-7 for 45 yards on 1 series. Mayfield is just a lower-end QB2 for fantasy squads, but we expect him to be an upgrade over Darnold for RB Christian McCaffrey, WR D.J. Moore and the rest of the Panthers offense.
The Browns are trading QB Baker Mayfield to the Panthers for a conditional 5th-round pick in 2024, NFL Network reports. The 2 teams "split the financials to make it happen," according to Ian Rapoport, so Carolina is presumably picking up about half of Mayfield's nearly $19 million 2022 cap hit. Mayfield is coming off a disappointing, injury-riddled 2021 season but played well the previous year, finishing 10th among 32 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus' passing grades. In fact, Mayfield earned higher PFF passing grades in each of his first 3 NFL seasons than QB Sam Darnold has managed in any of his 4 NFL seasons. So Mayfield is a tangible upgrade for D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, Terrace Marshall and Christian McCaffrey. Mayfield himself looks like just a middling QB2, although those weapons give him some weekly upside. Check out the updated projections for the Panthers offense.
Update: Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Mayfield agreed to shave about $3.5 million off his 2022 salary. The Browns will pay him $10.5 million this year; the Panthers around $5 million.
CBS' Jonathan Jones reports that the Browns and Panthers are involved in trade talks "surrounding" QB Baker Mayfield. Jones reports that there's "urgency" for Carolina to make a move early enough to get Mayfield some minicamp reps with the team. He adds that the Panthers' offer is the best Cleveland has gotten and that the primary sticking point is how much of Mayfield's 2022 salary the Browns would pay. The QB is in the 5th and final year of his rookie contract and will likely face a "prove it" year, with unrestricted free agency ahead in March 2023. He makes obvious sense for Carolina, which currently sports Sam Darnold and Matt Corral as the top 2 options. And the relationship between Mayfield and the Browns looks finished. Mayfield hasn't proved to be a high-upside fantasy QB through 4 seasons, but the Panthers would set him up with nice pass-catching talent -- led by D.J. Moore and Christian McCaffrey. Stacking him with 1 or both players in best-ball tournament lineups now would be a low-risk, high-upside move.
Panthers beat writer Ellis L. Williams believes new OC Ben McAdoo’s “up-tempo and quick-release concepts” should add YAC opportunities for WR DJ Moore. Williams envisions Moore thriving on quick-hitters and downfield routes, similar to how a young Odell Beckham excelled with McAdoo in New York. “It’s long and it’s treacherous, but it’s built for the NFL,” Moore said regarding McAdoo’s playbook. “The playbook is long, like some of the verbiage is long. You just got to be able to study and comprehended. But it worked when he was calling it in New York and all the places that he’d been.” Improved QB play will remain the key to unlocking Moore’s upside. Entering year 5, he’s never topped 4 TDs in a single season.
The Panthers are giving WR D.J. Moore a 3-year extension worth $61.9 million, with $41.6 million guaranteed. That puts Moore under contract for 4 years in total. Now he just needs a QB.
Panthers WR Robby Anderson (quad) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the Bucs. He didn’t practice all week, but HC Matt Rhule called him a game-time decision on Friday. Anderson isn’t a Week 18 fantasy option, but his absence would open up more targets for WR D.J. Moore.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) is active for today’s game vs. the Bucs. He was listed as questionable after getting in just a limited practice on Friday. Moore played through this injury last week, catching 6 of 11 targets for 48 yards.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) is expected to play vs. the Bucs today, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Moore is listed as questionable after getting in just a limited practice on Friday. But he was able to play through this injury last week, catching 6 of 11 targets for 48 yards.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) is listed as questionable for this weekend’s game vs. the Bucs. He only got in a limited practice on Friday, and HC Matt Rhule said earlier in the week that Moore would be a game-time decision. We’ll find out if he’s playing around 11:30 am ET on Sunday.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) missed practice again on Thursday. He played through this injury vs. the Bills last week but might have aggravated it. We'll get another update on Moore tomorrow.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday. He battled through this injury last weekend, posting a 6-48 line on a 91% snap rate in the loss to Buffalo. He should be available for this Sunday's game vs. the Bucs, but we'll keep an eye on him.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) is active for today’s game vs. the Bills. He got in 3 limited practices this week and never really seemed to be in danger of missing this one. Moore is an unexciting WR2 with Carolina sporting an ugly 15.5-point implied total.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) is expected to play vs. the Bills today, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Moore was limited in practice all week and is listed as questionable, but there never seemed to be much doubt about his availability for this one. It's a tough spot for Carolina's offense in Buffalo today, but at least Moore won't need to deal with CB Tre White.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game vs. the Bills. He put in 3 limited practices this week, and HC Matt Rhule said that he expects Moore to play. We'll find out for sure around 11:30 am ET on Sunday. Moore's hamstring will add a bit of risk to his Week 15 fantasy outlook.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore (hamstring) got in a limited practice on Wednesday. HC Matt Rhule said afterward that he expects Moore to play vs. the Bills this weekend. We'll keep an eye on him leading up to that one.
Panthers WR D.J. Moore "pulled his hamstring" in Sunday's game vs. the Falcons and is "day to day," HC Matt Rhule said. Hamstring injuries are always tricky, but it sounds like Moore's is minor. We'll keep a close eye on his practice participation this week, leading into Sunday's game vs. the Bills.
The Panthers fired OC Joe Brady. It's a quick fall for a guy who was getting head-coaching interviews last offseason. Brady's Panthers finished 17th in Football Outsiders' offensive DVOA last year and are currently sitting 29th in this year's rankings. QB play, of course, has been a problem in Carolina. Senior offensive assistant Jeff Nixon will step in as interim OC, according to The Athletic's Joe Person. Nixon's only OC experience came under current Panthers HC Matt Rhule at Baylor from 2017 to 2019.
The Panthers brass is set to meet with free-agent QB Cam Newton on Thursday, according to The Charlotte Observer's Jonathan Alexander. Carolina is expected to be without QB Sam Darnold (shoulder) for the next 4-6 weeks. Newton would be an upgrade over QB P.J. Walker -- and an upgrade over the Darnold we've gotten the past month. We'll see where this goes.
Updating a previous item, Panthers QB Sam Darnold (concussion, shoulder) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Patriots. QB P.J. Walker is in line to make his 2nd career start. He went 24-of-34 for 258 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs in a Week 11 start vs. the Lions last year. Walker has gone 3-for-15 for 33 yards in relief of Darnold this season. As poorly as Darnold has played lately, Walker will likely be a downgrade for this offense.
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