Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (back) is listed without an injury designation after injuring his back during a Week 17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Young practiced fully throughout the week and should be fine to start in the regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have been a favorable matchup for quarterbacks this season as they are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to the position. That being said, Young has underwhelmed in his rookie season and is hard to trust as anything more than a high-end QB3 in Week 18.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson was productive with four opportunities last week and will hope to see more involvement against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. Baltimore has already secured a first-round playoff bye and is thus expected to rest many key starters on Saturday. With the Steelers looking to keep their playoff hopes alive, Johnson should remain on the field for the entirety of the contest and could provide fantasy value with Mason Rudolph under center. In Rudolph's two starts this season, Pittsburgh has averaged over 432 yards of offense and 32 points per game. Fantasy managers should view Johnson as a solid WR3 with some upside this week.

Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro (hamstring) missed practice all week due to his right-hamstring injury and is doubtful to kick in the Week 18 regular season finale on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 28-year-old kicker will wrap up the 2023 season with two straight missed games to close out the year. Overall, he made 25 of his 29 field-goal attempts (86.2 percent) while missing three of his 20 extra-point tries over 15 games played. With Pineiro unlikely to play this weekend, the Panthers will elevate Matthew Wright from their practice squad to the active roster for the final game of the season. Fantasy managers in DFS or those still playing for a championship in Week 18 should be looking to avoid Wright.

Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro (hamstring) did not practice for the second day this week while nursing a hamstring injury. Pineiro strained the muscle during pregame warmups ahead of Week 17's contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars and was held out of the game. Kickoff duties were handled by linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill and there were no extra-point or field goal opportunities in that game. The Panthers signed Matthew Wright to their practice squad on Tuesday in case Pineiro can't recover in time to play in the season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (illness) missed Wednesday's practice due to an illness but was able to practice in full on Thursday. Signed in the offseason to a four-year, $25.4 million contract, Sanders has been operating as the backup to Chuba Hubbard since the Panthers returned from their Week 7 bye. On the season, Sanders has had just two games where he logged double-digit points in PPR settings. With one week left to play the 26-year-old has 568 scrimmage yards and one touchdown. His disappointing season will end in Week 18's matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he will once again be a non-factor in fantasy.