Carolina Panthers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Carolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver Xavier Legette (foot) returned to training camp practice on Monday after missing several days with a foot injury. In addition to missing some valuable practice time at the end of last week, Legette was also forced to sit out of the preseason opener last Thursday against the New England Patriots. It remains to be seen if the 23-year-old will play in the second preseason contest this Saturday against the New York Jets. The good news is that he's now back on the field as he tries to get up to speed for his first NFL campaign in 2024. Carolina's offense should have nowhere to go but up after last year's struggles, but with the addition of Diontae Johnson and the presence of veteran Adam Thielen, Legette could have trouble being anything more than an occasional big-play threat for fantasy managers in his rookie season.

Dallas Cowboys running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle have both gotten their share of first-team reps in training camp this summer. In the joint scrimmage with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Dowdle looked very good with his opportunities. With that said, it might've been the best day of camp so far for Elliott, who was decisive in his cuts. His burst was on display as well to hit running lanes and quickly make it to the second and, at times, to the third level of the defense. Dallas' backfield is becoming a compelling storyline to watch for fantasy managers entering 2024, and Sunday's preseason opener against the Rams should help provide some clarity on this situation. As it stands, Elliott should be deemed the early favorite to lead Cowboys backs in snaps and carries this season, as his value in pass protection figures to be invaluable, while Dowdle remains a late-round sleeper with plenty of upside.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Jack Plummer completed 11 of his 21 passes for 86 yards in the team's loss to the New England Patriots. Plummer played the first three-quarters of the game and was eventually relieved by Jake Luton. The 24-year-old signed with the Panthers after going undrafted in this year's draft and looks to be locked into the QB3 position behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton. He remains off the fantasy radar for the upcoming season.

Carolina Panthers tight end Jordan Matthews caught all three of his targets for 48 yards in the team's loss to the New England Patriots, leading all pass-catchers in yards on the night. The bulk of his yardage came from a 28-yard pass from Jack Plummer in the second quarter. The 31-year-old spent the majority of last season on Carolina's practice squad. With the addition of rookie tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, Matthews will likely remain on the practice squad this season and is off the radar from a fantasy perspective.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has had a very good training camp to this point and could be the leader in rushing for the team this season, per The Athletic's Jon Machota and his latest 53-man roster projection. The Cowboys recently signed Royce Freeman (groin), who left camp on Monday with a groin injury with an unclear timeline for a return. Dowdle provides a bit of juice into the Cowboys' backfield, and along with the returning Ezekiel Elliott, should provide a solid one-two combination of backs in an elite offense this season. While Elliott is the current clubhouse leader for the highest number of touches among Dallas running backs, Dowdle may win out in efficiency this season. This Sunday's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams should help to paint a clearer picture for fantasy managers, but draft Dowdle as an upside RB4 in drafts in the meantime.