Panthers CB Daryl Worley cleared the concussion protocol Saturday and is expected to play Sunday against the Chargers. As long as he's active, Worley will be a top play among fantasy DBs.

The Panthers announced Saturday that MLB Luke Kuechly will miss his 3rd straight game. Kuechly returned to practice this week and was thought to be on track for Sunday's game against the Chargers, but he failed to gain final clearance Saturday. A.J. Klein will start in his place for the 3rd straight week.

The Panthers have ruled DE Charles Johnson out for Sunday's game against the Chargers with a hamstring injury. MLB Luke Kuechly, CB Daryl Worley and S Kurt Coleman are all officially questionable, though each is expected to play barring a setback in their recoveries from concussions. DE Mario Addison (foot) is also questionable. He put in a full practice Friday after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday. We'll check on his status Sunday and keep tabs on the concussion crew through the weekend.

Panthers MLB Luke Kuechly practice in full Friday and is on track to play Sunday against the Chargers, "barring a last-minute setback in the concussion protocol," according to ESPN's David Newton. Kuechly, S Kurt Coleman and CB Daryl Worley were all reportedly due to meet with the medical staff after putting in a full practice Friday, and then meet again early Saturday for final clearance. We'll watch the status for all 3 players, all of whom sit well within starter territory at their positions in our Week 14 rankings.

Panthers MLB Luke Kuechly returned to practice Wednesday, though he has yet to clear the league concussion protocol. ESPN's David Newton reports that Kuechly will be re-evaluated Thursday. We'll see how he progresses this week, though returning to practice is obviously a big step.

The Panthers have ruled MLB Luke Kuechly (concussion), S Kurt Coleman (concussion) and DE Mario Addison (foot) out for Sunday night's game at Seattle. That will mean another start for A.J. Klein in Kuechly's place. It should also mean more playing time for DE Kony Ealy, who played his most snaps last Sunday since Week 6. Michael Griffin has worked in as the 3rd safety and figures to take Coleman's spot. Only Klein's worth any IDP attention in most leagues, though Seattle presents some sack upside for Ealy. He has registered a QB hit in 3 straight games, including a pair of sacks.

The Panthers have ruled MLB Luke Kuechly (concussion) and DE Mario Addison (foot) out for Sunday's game at Oakland. Kuechly will at least travel with the team, which seems like a good sign for his recovery beyond this week. A.J. Klein will start in Kuechly's place Sunday. Carolina will also miss C Ryan Kalil (shoulder), which will make life tougher for QB Cam Newton and RB Jonathan Stewart.

Panthers HC Ron Rivera said Monday that there's no timetable for MLB Luke Kuechly's return from the concussion he suffered in Thursday night's win over the Saints, according to the Charlotte Observer. Kuechly's in the league protocol, so we'll see how he progresses. The fact that he missed about a month with a concussion early last season adds concern to the situation. Rivera added that he's concerned with what's best for "Luke the person, not Luke the player." So expect the team to be cautious. A.J. Klein would likely be 1st up to replace Kuechly if he's ready to play Sunday at Oakland. Klein returned to practice Monday after missing Week 11 with a concussion. He has not yet cleared the protocol. David Mayo would be next up behind him. DC Sean McDermott also said that LB Shaq Thompson might see action in the nickel defense if CB Leonard Johnson can't play Sunday because of a chest injury.

Panthers MLB Luke Kuechly did suffer a concussion late in Thursday night's win over the Saints, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. It's his 2nd concussion in the past 2 seasons. Last year's affected Kuechly for a little more than a month and cost him 3 games. He's reportedly considering a trip to Pittsburgh to get a 2nd opinion and recovery plan from a concussion specialist. We'll see how this plays out. IDP owners should expect to miss Kuechly for at least Week 12. A.J. Klein started in Kuechly's place last season and played at least 66% of the snaps in each of the 3 games.

Panthers MLB Luke Kuechly left Thursday night's win over the Saints late in the 2nd half on a cart to be evaluated for a concussion. The mood around the locker room was reportedly quite somber afterward regarding Kuechly's situation. A concussion sidelined Kuechly for a little more than a month last season. We'll see how this situation develops.

Panthers LB Shaq Thompson (knee) is inactive for today's game against the Chiefs.

As expected, Panthers MLB Luke Kuechly is active for today's game against the Rams. The team held him out of practice Thursday and Friday as a precaution after Kuechly reported some groin soreness Thursday morning. But you should use him without hesitation in your IDP lineups this week.

Panthers MLB Luke Kuechly (groin) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Rams, but The Associated Press reports that HC Ron Rivera expects Kuechly to play. Kuechly reported groin soreness Thursday morning and was held out of practice that day and Friday as a precaution, according to the team website. The 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff time adds some risk for IDP owners, but fantasy's #1 LB is worth waiting for.

Panthers S Kurt Coleman suffered a broken thumb in Sunday's win over the Cardinals, but Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer reports that he can play through the injury. Coleman figures to emerge with a cast if he's active for Sunday's game in L.A. That will almost certainly limit his ability to intercept passes and thus his IDP upside for however long he's in a cast. We'll keep an eye on the situation, but Coleman's not a high-level IDP at full health.