Carolina Panthers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (leg) was forced to exit early during practice on Sunday. The 23-year-old appears to have suffered a lower leg injury, but head coach Dave Canales didn't seem too concerned. The organization had Legette undergo further testing which came back as negative for any fractures. That being said, Legette should be considered as day-to-day for now. Hopefully Legette doesn't miss much time as training camp and the preseason are always extremely important for rookies. The expectation is that Legette will be back on the practice field in a few days.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (leg) left practice on Sunday due to injury. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, X-rays on the rookie's lower leg were negative. However, he's not out of the woods just yet, with Rapoport adding an MRI is on the horizon to determine the extent of the injury. The 2024 No. 32 overall pick is coming off a hamstring issue, which kept him from participating in offseason workouts ahead of training camp. While he appeared healthy in a video released shortly after, the latest news from Panthers' practice on Sunday isn't a promising sign regarding his durability. Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen will see targets regardless. Yet, players like Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall Jr. could see more attention from Bryce Young if Legette is sidelined for an extended period.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) won't participate in preseason play. Unfortunately, the rookie could also miss time to begin his inaugural year. Brooks, the No. 46 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, tore his ACL in November. With that said, the Panthers will likely limit him once he's healthy enough to return. However, Brooks will presumably compete with Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders for touches, meaning it could be challenging for the former Texas Longhorn to do anything substantial for fantasy managers early in the 2024-25 campaign.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (quad) is currently in danger of missing the beginning of the regular season. The 36-year-old suffered a quad injury that is expected to hold him out for a few weeks. This doesn't mean too much for the Panthers considering Bryce Young is the starter in Carolina. Dalton is a 13-year veteran with a ton of experience, but he offers little upside on the field right now. He'll serve as the No. 2 quarterback once he's healthy, so fantasy managers can continue avoiding him.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has been a popular fantasy football sleeper this offseason after the departure of Tony Pollard. The team brought back Ezekiel Elliott, and many assume Dowdle and Elliott will split backfield duties in 2024. However, in a radio interview, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones suggested that Royce Freeman is likely to make the roster, while Dowdle and Malik Davis could be competing to be the third active running back in the regular season. [Freeman will] be a good addition and great complement to (Ezekiel Elliott)," Jones said. "And then we'll let these young guys between (Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis) and those guys battle it out." It's too early to draw any conclusions, but this is not a great look for Dowdle, who rushed 89 times for 361 yards and two touchdowns in 2023.