Carolina Panthers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (hamstring) is being held out of training camp practices due to hamstring tightness. It doesn't appear to be a serious injury for Tremble, but the Panthers are being cautious early in camp. As long as the 24-year-old tight end doesn't suffer a setback with his hamstring when he returns to the field, he should be fine for the start of the 2024 regular season. The former third-round pick in 2021 out of Notre Dame set a new career-high in receptions (23) and receiving yards (194) on 32 targets while scoring three touchdowns in 16 games (eight starts) for the second straight year. Carolina's offense was dreadful in 2023 under rookie quarterback Bryce Young, but even if they show improvement in 2024, Tremble is unlikely to be very attractive in fantasy as he competes for targets with rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders and Ian Thomas.

The Carolina Panthers placed running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) on the Active/NFI list on Friday night. The rookie, who suffered a torn ACL in November while with his collegiate squad, can be activated at any time. However, he will be forced to miss the first four contests if he isn't cleared to play before the 2024-25 campaign starts. Brooks, the No. 46 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, began his career behind Bijan Robinson at Texas. But after taking over as the lead option in 2023, he ran for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns off 187 touches, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. At any rate, Brooks will likely be brought along slowly once he's healthy enough to return to the field. Although he could work his way to the top of the depth chart at some point, he may not make an immediate impact for fantasy managers.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen feels he has more to prove to himself despite being in the NFL for over a decade. "I talk to the young guys about this all the time, is no matter who you are, no matter how old you are, no matter how many years you've been in the league, you have something to prove," Thielen said in an interview. "You have to have that mindset every single day." The 33-year-old is coming off a productive season, amassing his first 1,000-yard receiving campaign since 2018 while finding the end zone four times. Although the Panthers have a lot of question marks regarding the offense, it appears Thielen is not ready to stop being a reliable fantasy asset anytime soon.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (hamstring) sat out offseason workouts last month due to hamstring issues, but the rookie first-round pick looks healthy in an Instagram video showing him working out. While this is not clear evidence that he's cleared and ready to go when training camp begins, it's a great sign for his potential availability. The No. 32 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of South Carolina has every opportunity to be a top-two option in the passing game for second-year quarterback Bryce Young. Legette has off-the-charts speed and athleticism at 220 pounds, but since he failed to reach 500 receiving yards in his first four collegiate seasons combined, he is a controversial prospect and fantasy football option. Unless Carolina takes a significant step forward on offense, Legette is likely to be a fringe fantasy-relevant wideout as a rookie.

The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye projects Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen to remain as the team's slot receiver in 2024 despite the addition of Diontae Johnson and rookie Xavier Legette. The 33-year-old Thielen managed to stay fantasy relevant in his first year in Carolina in 2023 despite rookie quarterback Bryce Young and the offense being one of the worst in the league. Thielen caught 103 of his 137 targets for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns in 17 starts. He should continue to be a safety blanket for Young this year, but the additions of both Johnson and Legette will inevitably take valuable targets away. Fantasy managers certainly shouldn't expect another 1,000-yard campaign for Thielen in 2024. You should be targeting Thielen as merely a late-round flier for receiver depth in deeper fantasy leagues.