Carolina Panthers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday as he looks to make his return to game-day action this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time since injuring his hamstring in Week 3. Thielen was activated from Injured Reserve during the team's bye week, but he's still not in the clear to return for Week 12. An upgrade to a full practice session on Friday could do the trick. The 34-year-old veteran expects to play against KC, although the Panthers could monitor his workload on Sunday if that's the case given his long layoff. When he's fully up to speed, though, Thielen should be one of quarterback Bryce Young's top targets opposite rookie Xavier Legette. Thielen is worth stashing for WR depth in deeper leagues, but he's trending as a shaky fantasy play against a tough Chiefs defense if he's active on Sunday.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) was listed as a limited participant in the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday coming off their bye. Thielen has been on Injured Reserve since suffering a pretty serious hamstring injury all the way back in Week 3. However, the 34-year-old veteran pass-catcher said earlier this week that he expects to return to play against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12 on Sunday. He's probably going to need to upgrade to a full practice on either Thursday or Friday to avoid a questionable tag on the final injury report, and Thielen may be eased back into the offense if he's eventually cleared to play this weekend. Thielen should have a significant role when he's back to full speed alongside rookie Xavier Legette, but he won't be the most attractive fantasy lineup option if he returns this Sunday against a tough Chiefs defense.UPDATE: Thielen has been medically cleared to play and is excited to be back in team drills for the first time in eight weeks.

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said he wants to see rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) play confident and fast when he makes his NFL debut, and he will be working behind Chuba Hubbard when he plays in his first NFL contest this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Meanwhile, Miles Sanders (ankle, foot) isn't expected to play in Week 12, so Brooks should serve as the backup to Hubbard. The 21-year-old Brooks hasn't played all year while recovering from an ACL tear he suffered last year in college, but he's practicing in full on Wednesday and should be active this Sunday. Hubbard has earned lead-back duties for Carolina with another strong season in 2024, which means Brooks will probably be in line for backup duties the rest of the way in his rookie season, making him mostly a bench stash and handcuff in fantasy.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle rushed for 28 yards on 10 carries during Monday's loss to the Houston Texans. He also caught two of his five targets for an additional six receiving yards. Even as quarterback Cooper Rush racked up production in garbage time, the Cowboys' starting running back was not able to get very involved. Between his subpar volume and reduced efficiency, Dowdle will drop to the low-end RB3 tier next week against Washington.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) is expected to return to action in Week 12 to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Thielen was held out of practice on Monday with the team coming out of their bye week, but Thielen still has time to get back on the field before Sunday's contest against the defending Super Bowl champions. The 34-year-old veteran hasn't played since injuring his right hamstring in Week 3, but he was officially activated from Injured Reserve last week. The Week 12 matchup isn't a great one against a strong defense, but Thielen could be more useful in fantasy down the stretch than he was at the start of the year now that Diontae Johnson is in Baltimore. When he returns, Thielen should be one of quarterback Bryce Young's top targets alongside rookie Xavier Legette. The two-time Pro Bowler caught eight of 12 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown before his injury.