Panthers Add Speedster Chris Brazzell II to help Bryce Young

By Shane Hallam | Updated on Sat, Apr 25 2026 3:14 AM UTC

The Carolina Panthers selected Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II in Round 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft. After a shoulder injury limited him to two games in 2022, Brazzell rebounded in 2023 with 44 catches, 771 yards, and 5 TDs at Tulane. From there, he transferred to Tennessee, but his numbers dipped. Brazzell posted a 29-333-2 line on a poor 50% catch rate, hurt by an ugly 17.1% drop rate. His 1.23 yards per route run ranked 242nd among 260 qualifying WRs. Brazzell put his best work on film in 2025, as he led the SEC in regular-season receiving yards. He cleaned up the drops and turned into one of the nation’s top downfield threats with a 13-509-6 line on deep targets alone. At 6’4, 198 pounds, Brazzell confirmed his speed at the NFL Combine with a 4.37 forty-yard dash.

What They're Saying

Draft Sharks Rookie Guide: “Brazzell brings uncommon length and a massive catch radius. He stacks corners vertically, tracks the ball naturally, and wins at the high point. The concerns: Physical press coverage exposes his thin frame, and his route tree remains limited. He wins vertically but struggles to separate underneath.”

2026 Fantasy Football Impact

The Panthers add a field stretcher in Brazzell to help give the offense another dimension. With Xavier Legette failing to meet expectations, Brazzell could take over his role as an outside WR who can go deep.

He will stay behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker for now. Brazzell’s athleticism offers the ultimate upside, but WRs have trouble adjusting to the NFL from the Volunteers odd system.

Brazzell shouldn’t be selected in redraft leagues.

Dynasty Impact

He will likely take some time to get up to speed and the Panthers passing offense doesn’t offer enough to make Brazzell super attractive.

He could be a third round rookie pick to swing for the upside, but Brazzell is best saved for deeper leagues where he can be stashed to wait.
Learn more about Chris Brazell II’s Dynasty Value

Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format, including redraft, dynasty, devy, C2C, IDP, CFF, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and a King's Classic Champion. Shane utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance. He led the industry in 2024 preseason Kicker Rankings and ranked second in preseason QB Rankings. He also ranked eighth in preseason IDP rankings.