Carolina Panthers 2026 Overview

Schedule

Wins

Play Calling

Key Additions

• WR Chris Brazzell
• OT Monroe Freeling
• OT Rasheed Walker

Key Departures

• RB Rico Dowdle
• C Cade Mays

Notable Coaching Changes

• None

Bryce Young

2025 Role & Results

Young Spiked A Few Times But Was Unreliable

Young totaled 3,011 passing yards with 23 TDs and 11 INTs across 16 games last year, ranking 21st in yardage and tying for 14th in TDs.

He added a 54-216-2 rushing line to finish 26th among QBs in fantasy points per game.

Young spiked for three top-5 scoring weeks but cracked the top 12 just two other times. He finished outside the top 20 QBs in 10 of his 16 outings.

Downfield Throws Were Missing

Young ranked 14th league-wide in pass attempts, including 12th in red-zone attempts and 10th in throws into the end zone.

But Young’s 6.9-yard average target depth ranked 36th among 41 qualifying QBs, and he finished just 19th in total air yards.

Young’s 54 carries were good for 14th at the position.

He ranked 24th in expected fantasy points per game.

Underwhelming Efficiency

Young completed a respectable 63.6% of his passes, but the low average target depth helped inflate that number. He ranked just 22nd among 42 qualifying QBs in completion rate over expected and 34th with 6.3 yards per attempt. 

Young’s Pro Football Focus passing grade ranked 27th.

He at least posted a 4.8% TD rate, good for 17th among those 42 qualifiers.

Carolina Didn't Want Young Throwing Much

The 2025 Panthers finished 27th in total yards and points. It was a run-leaning offense that leaned even further in that direction after the opening few games.

From Week 4 on, Carolina ranked:

• 24th in pass rate (52.7%)
• 30th neutral pass (49.8%)
• 30th in PROE (-5.7%)

Young averaged 14.4 fantasy points per game over that stretch, down from 16.0 over the first three weeks.

From Horrible To Bad Through Three Seasons

Young has struggled in three seasons since going No. 1 overall in the 2023 draft.

His rookie season was woeful: a 59.8% completion rate, 5.5 yards per attempt, 11 TDs vs. 10 INTs. 

He’s improved to merely bad over the last two years, averaging 6.3 yards per attempt in each with 38 total TDs vs. 20 INTs. But even over that stretch, he ranks:

• 32nd among 40 qualifiers in completion rate
• 37th in yards per attempt
• 34th in adjusted yards per attempt
• 35th in passing success rate
• 33rd in passer rating

Young’s finishes in fantasy points per game:

• 2023: 42nd
• 2024: 28th
• 2025: 26th

Ankle Injuries Have Cost Him Two Games

Young suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 7 last year but missed just one game.

He also missed one game with a sprained ankle as a rookie in 2023.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Still The Panthers' Starter

Young returns as Carolina’s starter this season. The Panthers picked up his fifth-year option in April, keeping him under contract through 2027.

Carolina made a change behind Young, replacing Andy Dalton with Kenny Pickett.

Pass-Catching Corps Is Fine, O-Line Has Questions

The Panthers return last year’s top seven targets, led by WR Tetairoa McMillan. He’s coming off a 70-1,014-7 rookie season in which he ranked 23rd among 76 qualifying WRs in PFF receiving grade. McMillan already looks like a legitimate No. 1 WR and could be better in Year 2.

Carolina will hope to get a healthier season from WR Jalen Coker, who missed the first six games of last year. He averaged 47 yards over his final seven regular-season games, though, and then went off for a 9-134-1 line in the playoff loss to the Rams.

The Panthers added WR Chris Brazzell in Round 3 of this spring’s draft. The 6’4, 198-pounder was one of the top deep threats in the WR class, averaging 15.2 yards per catch in college. He’s probably not ready for a high-volume role but could prove to be an instant upgrade over WR Xavier Legette, who’s been a massive bust through two NFL seasons.

This WR corps looks like it’s ascending, but it’s still unlikely to be better than league average this year.

The TE room looks even less exciting: A hodgepodge of Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, and Mitchell Evans.

Carolina also has a big question mark at LT after Ikem Ekwonu ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee in the playoff loss to the Rams. He’s expected to be sidelined for 9-12 months, likely costing him some or most of the 2026 campaign.

The Panthers signed Rasheed Walker to a one-year, $4 million deal in free agency and spent the 19th pick of this spring’s draft on Monroe Freeling as potential fill-ins for Ekwonu. But Young’s blindside protection is a question.

Carolina also lost C Cade Mays to Detroit in free agency. He’s expected to be replaced by Luke Fortner, who has been subpar across four NFL seasons.

Back In The Same Offense

HC Dave Canales and OC Brad Idzik return for their third season running the Panthers offense. The results have been underwhelming so far:

• 2024: 29th in total yards, 23rd in points
• 2025: 27th in total yards, 27th in points

Canales spent 2023 as the Buccaneers' OC. That team and the 2024 Panthers ran balanced offenses, ranking 15th and 11th, respectively, in pass rate.

Canales shifted run-heavy last year, with the Panthers finishing 23rd in pass rate. Unless Young improves significantly this season, expect a similar run-pass split.

Paths To Ceiling

A decent-enough WR corps and Young’s modest rushing production (career 15.6 yards per game) give him a path to a higher-end QB2 finish. He’ll simply need to play a lot better to get there.

Risk Factors

We already saw Young get benched for a few games in 2024. If he doesn’t improve this year, he might not last the season as Carolina’s starter.

Chuba Hubbard

2025 Role & Results

Hubbard Scores As A RB4

Hubbard ran for 511 yards and 1 TD and caught 30 balls for 223 yards and three more scores across 15 games last year. 

He finished 43rd among RBs in PPR points per game; 44th in half-PPR.

Rico Dowdle Took His Job

Hubbard opened the season as Carolina’s lead back. Over the first three weeks, he:

• Played 68.9% of the offensive snaps
• Averaged 14.3 carries and 4.7 targets per game
• Ranked 11th among RBs in PPR points per game

But Hubbard injured his right calf in Week 4, missed the next two games, and vacillated between operating as the 1B and clear No. 2 RB behind Rico Dowdle the rest of the way.

Hubbard ranked RB57 in PPR points per game from Week 7 on.

Efficiency Bottoms Out

Hubbard was one of the least effective runners in the league last year. Among 51 RBs with 90+ carries, he ranked: 

• 41st in yards per carry
• 45th in rush yards over expected per attempt
• 49th in yards after contact per attempt
• 50th in missed tackles forced per attempt
• 41st in Pro Football Focus rush grade

Hubbard’s advanced metrics were mostly better before the calf injury:

Hubbard wasn’t much better in the passing game, finishing 28th in yards per route and 30th in PFF receiving grade among 40 qualifying RBs.

Panthers Moved To Run-Heavy Offense

The 2025 Panthers finished 27th in both total yards and points. 

It was a run-leaning offense that leaned even further in that direction after the opening few games.

From Week 4 on, Carolina ranked:

• 24th in pass rate (52.7%)
• 30th neutral pass (49.8%)
• 30th in PROE (-5.7%)

Hubbard ran behind an offensive line that finished fifth in Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade and eighth in adjusted line yards.

Who's The Real Chuba Hubbard?

Hubbard’s play has yo-yoed through five NFL seasons. His yards per carry:

• 2021: 3.6
• 2022: 4.9
• 2023: 3.8
• 2024: 4.8
• 2025: 3.8

Hubbard was excellent in 2024, ranking top-9 among 47 qualifying RBs in rush yards over expected per attempt, yards after contact per attempt, and PFF rushing grade. He finished 13th among RBs in PPR points per game as Carolina’s lead back that year.

He’s been generally inefficient as a receiver, though, averaging fewer than 5.8 yards per target in four of five seasons. His 5.1 career yards per target ranks 62nd among 76 active RBs with 50+ career targets.

Lower-Body Injuries Have Cost Him Time

Hubbard has missed four games across five NFL seasons, two with an ankle injury in 2022 and two with the calf last year.

He also missed the last four games of his final college season with an ankle injury.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Dowdle Gone ... But Hubbard Faces New Competition

Hubbard will head to training camp atop Carolina’s depth chart after Dowdle left for Pittsburgh in free agency.

But he’ll face fresh competition from Brooks. The 46th overall pick of the 2024 draft missed all of last season after a second ACL tear. But he was fully cleared in April and is capable of pushing Hubbard for snaps.

Brooks averaged 114 rushing yards and 1.0 rushing TDs on 6.1 yards per carry, plus 2.5 catches and 29 receiving yards, across 10 games at Texas in 2023. His 3.91 yards after contact and 0.33 missed tackles forced per attempt were both top-25 marks among 158 qualifying RBs. The 6’0, 207-pounder has workhorse upside.

Hubbard will need to be better than he was last year to fend off Brooks.

QB And Offensive Line Concerns

QB Bryce Young returns for his fourth NFL season, limiting this offense’s upside. Young has mustered just 6.0 yards per attempt for his career, including 6.3 in each of the last two seasons. Carolina hasn’t finished better than 23rd in total yards or points in any of Young’s three seasons.

The Panthers also have a couple of question marks on the offensive line. The biggest is at LT, where Ikem Ekwonu is expected to miss the start of the season after rupturing a patellar tendon in the playoff loss to the Rams.

Carolina tried to patch that loss by signing Rasheed Walker to a one-year, $4 million deal in free agency and spending the 19th pick of this spring’s draft on Monroe Freeling as potential fill-ins for Ekwonu.

The Panthers also lost C Cade Mays to Detroit in free agency. He’s expected to be replaced by Luke Fortner, who has been subpar across four NFL seasons.

This unit could decline vs. 2025, especially early in the season without Ekwonu.

Canales Has Been RB-Friendly

HC Dave Canales and OC Brad Idzik return for their third season running the Panthers offense. The results have been underwhelming:

• 2024: 29th in total yards, 23rd in points
• 2025: 27th in total yards, 27th in points

It’s been a good spot for RB fantasy production, though. Hubbard finished 13th at the position in PPR points per game in 2024. Last year, Hubbard sat RB17 through Week 4, and Dowdle ranked 12th from Week 5 on.

Canales also helped Rachaad White to a RB10 finish as Buccaneers OC in 2023.

Expect the Panthers to lean on the run again in 2026, creating plenty of fantasy value in the backfield.

Paths To Ceiling

Hubbard is just a couple of seasons removed from a RB13 finish in PPR points per game as Carolina’s lead back. If he rediscovers that form and holds off Brooks, he could at least be a strong RB2 for fantasy squads.

Risk Factors

Hubbard was one of the least effective runners in the NFL last year and has never been very good in the passing game. If his play doesn’t bounce back, Hubbard could quickly lose the lead job to Brooks and become a fantasy reserve.

Jonathon Brooks

A Lost 2025

Brooks missed the entire 2025 season after tearing his right ACL on December 8, 2024. That marked the second time Brooks tore that ACL in a 13-month span, with the first injury ending his college career. 

Before Last Year

Brooks Closes College Career With A Bang

Brooks spent his first two seasons at Texas playing behind RBs Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson.

Those guys left for the NFL in 2023, clearing the way for a Brooks breakout. Across 10 games, he averaged 114 rushing yards and 1.0 rushing TDs on 6.1 yards per carry, ranking top 25 among 158 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt, missed tackles forced per attempt, and Pro Football Focus rushing grade.

Brooks was also a weapon as a receiver, averaging 2.5 catches and 29 receiving yards per game. He ranked 21st among 112 qualifying RBs in yards per route and 12th in PFF receiving grade.

But Brooks’ big season ended on Nov. 11 with a torn right ACL.

That prevented him from working out prior to the 2024 draft. But it didn’t stop the Panthers from making him the first RB off the board as the 46th overall pick

Limited NFL Action

Brooks missed the first 10 games of his 2024 rookie season working back from that knee injury.

He debuted in Week 12 but carried just nine times for 22 yards across three games before re-tearing that right ACL.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Panthers Clear A Lane For Brooks

The Panthers’ backfield moves this offseason look like a vote of confidence in Brooks’ health. They lost Rico Dowdle to Pittsburgh in free agency and made no significant additions, leaving the room to Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, and Trevor Etienne.

Hubbard will head to training camp atop the depth chart, but he’s coming off a disappointing season that saw him lose the lead job to Dowdle. Hubbard mustered just 3.8 yards per carry and bombed in advanced metrics. Among 51 RBs with 90+ carries, he ranked: 

• 45th in rush yards over expected per attempt
• 49th in yards after contact per attempt
• 50th in missed tackles forced per attempt
• 41st in Pro Football Focus rushing grade

Hubbard was much better in 2024, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and finishing top-9 among 47 qualifying RBs in rush yards over expected per attempt, yards after contact per attempt, and PFF rushing grade.

The version of Hubbard Carolina gets in 2026 will go a long way toward determining Brooks’ opportunity. The team at least sounds excited about Brooks’ prospects.

HC Dave Canales in January: “Jonathon Brooks is trending in the right direction. He’s flying around, he’s big, he’s beautiful-looking. He’s one of the more powerful, explosive athletes that we have. He’s gonna have an opportunity to compete to start for this team, just like a lot of other guys.”

GM Dan Morgan on Brooks in May: “He’s doing great. He worked his way back. Fully healthy now, feeling great, looking great out there. Cutting, running fast. So, obviously, we’re super excited about him and potentially where he could bring our offense. In the pass game and the run game, I think he’ll really help us out.”

Questions At QB And Offensive Line

QB Bryce Young returns for his fourth NFL season, limiting this offense’s upside. Young has mustered just 6.0 yards per attempt for his career, including 6.3 in each of the last two seasons. Carolina hasn’t finished better than 23rd in total yards or points in any of Young’s three seasons.

The Panthers also have a couple of question marks on the offensive line. The biggest is at LT, where Ikem Ekwonu is expected to miss the start of the season after rupturing a patellar tendon in the playoff loss to the Rams.

Carolina signed Rasheed Walker to a one-year, $4 million deal in free agency and spent the 19th pick of this spring’s draft on Monroe Freeling as potential fill-ins for Ekwonu

The Panthers also lost C Cade Mays to Detroit in free agency. He’s expected to be replaced by Luke Fortner, who has been subpar across four NFL seasons.

This unit could decline vs. 2025, especially early in the season without Ekwonu.

Canales Has Been RB-Friendly

HC Dave Canales and OC Brad Idzik return for their third season running the Panthers offense. The results have been underwhelming:

• 2024: 29th in total yards, 23rd in points
• 2025: 27th in total yards, 27th in points

It’s been a good spot for RB fantasy production, though. Hubbard finished 13th at the position in PPR points per game in 2024. Last year, Hubbard was RB17 through Week 4, and Dowdle ranked 12th from Week 5 on.

Canales also helped Rachaad White to a RB10 finish as Buccaneers OC in 2023.

Expect the Panthers to lean on the run again in 2026, creating plenty of fantasy value in the backfield.

Paths To Ceiling

A healthy Brooks could quickly prove to be the best RB in Carolina. He has a chance to overtake Hubbard early in the season and be the lead back in a run-centric offense. That’d give Brooks a path to RB2 production.

Risk Factors

Brooks might never be the same player after a second right-ACL tear.

There’s also environmental risk here. Carolina hasn’t ranked better than 27th in total yards in any of Young’s three seasons.

Tetairoa McMillan

2025 Role & Results

A WR2 Finish As A Rookie

McMillan caught 70 balls for 1,014 yards and 7 TDs across 17 games last year. He ranked 22nd among WRs in catches, 13th in yards, and tied for 11th in TDs. 

McMillan finished 23rd at his position in PPR points per game; 22nd in half-PPR.

He was more of a floor than ceiling producer. McMillan scored as a top-12 PPR WR just twice (with another week as WR13). But he fell outside the top-36 WRs in just five of 17 outings.

McMillan Led The Passing Game, Especially Near The End Zone

McMillan saw 9 targets in his NFL debut and never gave up the lead role in Carolina’s passing game. His 122 targets tied for 12th among WRs, and his 23.1% target share ranked 17th.

McMillan played a particularly big role near the end zone. Among WRs, he ranked:

• seventh in red-zone targets (34)
• seventh in end zone targets (12)
• ninth in expected receiving TDs (7.7)

McMillan finished WR19 in expected PPR points per game. 

Promising Efficiency

McMillan hauled in just 57.4% of his targets but averaged 14.5 yards per catch. His 8.3 yards per target ranked 28th among 76 WRs with 50+ targets last year.

McMillan’s 1.84 yards per route was good for 26th among those 76 WRs. That mark looks more impressive when you consider that Carolina’s other WRs combined for just 1.04 yards per route. 

McMillan ranked 23rd among those 76 WRs in Pro Football Focus receiving grade and 30th in Fantasy Points’ Separation Score.

The Environment Challenged McMillan's Production

The 2025 Panthers finished 27th in both total yards and points. 

It was a run-leaning offense that leaned even further in that direction after the opening few games.

From Week 4 on, Carolina ranked:

• 24th in pass rate (52.7%)
• 30th neutral pass (49.8%)
• 30th in PROE (-5.7%)

That left the Panthers 21st in pass attempts, 26th in pass yards, and 19th in pass TDs.

QB Bryce Young’s 6.3 yards per attempt ranked 34th among 42 qualifying QBs. He finished 27th in PFF passing grade.

Nice Rookie Season Followed Awesome College Career

McMillan was the eighth pick of the 2025 draft after an uber-productive three-year run at Arizona. He led all true freshmen with 702 receiving yards in 2022 and topped 1,300 yards in each of his final two seasons.

He Dealt With Nagging Injuries Last Year

McMillan played all 17 games last year but dealt with hamstring, foot, and ankle issues over the second half of the season. He notably failed to reach 45 receiving yards in four of his final six games.

McMillan also needed surgery for a lower-leg injury in April 2024 but was ready for the start of that season.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

McMillan Faces No Threat To Lead Role

Carolina returns a similar pass-catching corps this season, with third-round rookie WR Chris Brazzell the only noteworthy addition. He’s one of the best downfield receivers in this year’s class and should immediately push Xavier Legette for work. But Brazzell is unlikely to noticeably impact McMillan’s volume.

Jalen Coker looks like the Panthers’ No. 2 WR. He missed the first six games of last season and averaged 3.9 targets on a 13.7% target share over the final 11. Coker’s best outing came in the playoff loss to the Rams: 9 catches, 134 yards, and a TD.

Coker looks like a nice player for Carolina but not a threat to McMillan’s lead role in this passing game. Here’s how they stacked up across 12 shared games last year, including that playoff loss:

QB Play Remains A Concern

QB Bryce Young returns for his fourth NFL season, putting a cap on this offense’s upside. Young has mustered just 6.0 yards per attempt for his career, including 6.3 in each of the last two seasons. 

Carolina hasn’t finished better than 23rd in points, total yards, or passing yards in any of Young’s three seasons.

Panthers Likely To Stay Run-Heavy

HC Dave Canales and OC Brad Idzik return for their third season running the Panthers offense. The results have been underwhelming so far.

Canales spent 2023 as the Buccaneers' OC. That offense was better, finishing 20th in points, 23rd in total yards, and 17th in passing yards.

The 2023 Bucs and the 2024 Panthers ran balanced offenses, ranking 15th and 11th, respectively, in pass rate.

Canales shifted run-heavy last year, with the Panthers finishing 23rd in pass rate. Unless Young takes a big step forward this season, expect a similar run-pass split.

Paths to Ceiling

McMillan is coming off a strong rookie season and is a strong bet to control targets in Carolina again. He’s an obvious candidate to take a Year 2 leap.

If Young also improves in his fourth season and makes this even a league-average passing game, McMillan could flirt with WR1 production.

Risk Factors

Young is the risk factor. He’s simply been one of the league’s worst passers since arriving in 2023. If that continues to be the case this year, McMillan could stay stuck in low-end WR2 territory.

Jalen Coker

2025 Role & Results

Coker Finishes Strong

Coker caught 33 balls for 394 yards and 3 TDs across 11 games last year. He ranked 58th among WRs in PPR points per game.

Coker finished as a top-20 PPR WR in three of his 11 outings, with all three coming over his final five regular-season games.

Then he had his best game of the year in the playoff loss to the Rams: 9 catches for 134 yards and a score.

Coker Snatches No. 2 WR Job

Coker missed the first six games of last season recovering from a late-August quad injury. He returned as Carolina’s No. 3 WR behind Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette. But Coker quickly pulled ahead of Legette, matching or beating him in routes in each of the final nine regular-season games.

Here’s how the top three WRs stacked up in those nine contests:

Coker ranked 66th among WRs league-wide in expected PPR points per game over his final nine games.

Efficiency Was A Mixed Bag

Coker hauled in a sterling 76.7% of his targets and averaged 11.9 yards per catch last year. He was efficient on a per-target basis. But Coker struggled to draw targets, making him much less productive on a per-route basis.

Among 90 WRs with 40+ targets, he ranked:

• 17th in yards per target
• 83rd in targets per route
• 62nd in yards per route

Panthers Leaned On The Run

The 2025 Panthers finished 27th in both total yards and points. 

It was a run-leaning offense that leaned even further in that direction after the opening few games.

From Week 4 on, Carolina ranked:

• 24th in pass rate (52.7%)
• 30th neutral pass (49.8%)
• 30th in PROE (-5.7%)

That left the Panthers 21st in pass attempts, 26th in pass yards, and 19th in pass TDs.

QB Bryce Young’s 6.3 yards per attempt ranked 34th among 42 qualifying QBs. He finished 27th in PFF passing grade.

2025 Was A Step Back

Coker flashed a few times as an undrafted rookie out of Holy Cross, finishing with a 32-478-2 line across 11 games and ranking 68th among WRs in PPR points per game.

His targets per route and yards per route actually fell from 2024 to 2025.

Recurring Quad Injuries

Coker has dealt with a couple of quad injuries since turning pro, missing three games in the middle of his rookie season and six last year.

2026 Opportunity & Projection

Coker The Favorite For No. 2 Job

The Panthers largely return the same pass-catching corps as last year, with third-round rookie WR Chris Brazzell the one notable addition.

The 6’4, 198-pounder is one of the top deep threats in the class, averaging 15.2 yards per catch in college. But because 93% of his college routes came from the outside, he’s a bigger threat to Legette’s role than Coker’s.

Coker ran 55% of his routes from the slot last year and is the favorite for those duties when Carolina goes 3-WR this season. Brazzell could push him for snaps in 2-WR sets, but we’d still bet on Coker opening the season in that role.

McMillan, though, figures to remain the clear No. 1 target in this passing game.

Bryce Young Still A Problem

Young returns for his fourth NFL season, limiting the offense’s upside. Young has mustered just 6.0 yards per attempt for his career, including 6.3 in each of the last two seasons. 

Carolina hasn’t finished better than 23rd in points, total yards, or passing yards in any of Young’s three seasons.

Panthers Likely To Stay Run-Heavy

HC Dave Canales and OC Brad Idzik return for their third season running the Panthers offense. The results have been underwhelming.

Canales spent 2023 as the Buccaneers' OC. That offense was better, finishing 20th in points, 23rd in total yards, and 17th in passing yards.

The 2023 Bucs and the 2024 Panthers ran balanced offenses, ranking 15th and 11th, respectively, in pass rate.

Canales shifted run-heavy last year, with the Panthers finishing 23rd in pass rate. Unless Young takes a big step forward this season, expect a similar run-pass split.

Paths to Ceiling

Coker looks like the No. 2 WR in Carolina this season. If he can eat into McMillan’s target share and get better QB play from Young, Coker could hold some WR3 value for fantasy squads.

Risk Factors

Carolina has had one of the least productive passing games in the NFL since Young arrived in 2023. That’s a tough spot for Coker, even if he’s the clear No. 2 WR. And there’s a chance that rookie Brazzell could eventually push Coker out of 2-WR sets.