Carolina Panthers

Although LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. stands in the shadow of teammate Malik Nabers for the upcoming NFL draft, the 6-foot-2 7/8, 209-pounder is viewed as a possible top-20 pick in April. "He's about as naturally talented as you can find at the position," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks said. "Big, fast, physical. Runs great routes. Natural catcher. Does a really good job of watching the ball into his hands. He can shine." The biggest question for Thomas is whether he can step outside the shadow of Nabors and be an alpha dog for an NFL team. Because he didn't work out at LSU's pro day on Wednesday, Thomas may not have answered that question completely, but it doesn't mean that a receiver-needy team won't be willing to take him in the first round in 2024.

The Carolina Panthers acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson and pick No. 240 overall in this year's NFL draft from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson and pick No. 178 overall in this year's draft, according to sources. The move leaves the Steelers dangerously thin at the receiver position, with George Pickens and Calvin Austin III as the team's top two wideouts with Johnson gone. Johnson, 27, finished last year with a career-low 51 catches for 717 yards and five touchdowns. He'll move to a Panthers offense desperately seeking playmakers and should be one of quarterback Bryce Young's top targets, other than veteran Adam Thielen. Johnson's chances for a fantasy rebound in 2024 don't look great in Carolina, but perhaps he can develop some nice chemistry with Young and feed off volume.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Pittsburgh Steelers are open to trade offers for wide receiver Diontae Johnson. "There is interest from teams around the league as GMs are getting set for free agency," said Russini. Johnson signed a two-year, $36 million contract with the Steelers in August of 2022 and is set to be a free agent after this season. With inconsistent quarterback play from the Steelers, the 27-year-old managed to catch 51 passes for 717 yards and five touchdowns across 13 games in 2023. He owned 18.2% of the team's target share and averaged 5.2 yards after the catch. Johnson has a cap hit of $15.8 million. It's unclear if Johnson will return to the Steelers for a sixth season, but the Steelers are listening to offers, and a change of scenery could only boost his fantasy value in 2024. Stay tuned.

University of Texas running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) suffered a torn ACL on November 11 in a win over Texas Christian University. Brooks rushed for 1,139 yards and ten touchdowns and caught 22 passes for 212 yards and one score in his lone season as a starter before suffering the knee injury 11 games into the year. However, he still opted to leave Texas early and declare for the 2024 NFL Draft. Dr. Dan Cooper projects that he should be cleared by training camp, a great sign for his draft stock and potential rookie season. He won't be able to participate in any pre-draft testing, but that hasn't stopped him from being the No. 1 running back on several draft analysts' big boards. There's no clear leader for the top running back like in past years with Bijan Robinson and Breece Hall, so draft capital will be as important as ever for fantasy football purposes.

The Carolina Panthers went 2-15 last year and fired both their head coach and general manager. They have all kinds of needs this offseason, but The Athletic's Joe Person thinks that their biggest priority should be getting young quarterback Bryce Young some help in the passing game. DJ Chark Jr. ranked in the bottom 10 in the league in average separation and catch percentage, while Jonathan Mingo had the fifth-worst catch percentage (50.6) in his rookie campaign. Adam Thielen had a 1,000-yard season, but the 33-year-old can no longer stretch defenses at his age. It all caused Young to stand in the pocket waiting for someone to get open before eventually getting enveloped by the pass rush. Young has plenty to work on himself, but helping him take the next step in Year 2 will start with surrounding him with better playmakers.