Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan could see more usage out of the slot in 2026, speculates ESPN's Mike Kaye. McMillan was used almost exclusively as an outside receiver as a rookie in 2025 and had plenty of success, recording 70 catches for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns on 122 targets across 17 games. However, Kaye writes that the Panthers have spoken about wanting to use McMillan's size and strength to get him more targets in the middle of the field in his second season. McMillan already projects to be the dominant target-earner in Carolina's offense, as he finished with nearly 60 more targets than any other Panthers pass-catcher in 2025. If he does indeed see more slot usage and an even larger target share in 2026, McMillan could emerge as a fantasy WR1
Coach Dave Canales suggested Wednesday that McMillan will work out of the slot more this season, Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340 reports. If preseason usage means anything, it would seem Canales was putting the plan into action this summer. After playing just 15.3 percent of his regular-season offensive snaps out of the slot as a rookie, McMillan was in the slot on nine of 22 snaps (40.9 percent) across two preseason games. Moving to the slot more would give the 6-foot-5 McMillan significant size and speed advantages inside and allow for more easy "layup" style catches to get the ball in his hands quicker. The 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year figures to be the center of Carolina's offense this season after posting 70 catches for 1,014 yards and seven scores across 17 regular-season contests last season
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan currently has an ADP of 40 in fantasy football redraft leagues. That corresponds to the middle of the fourth round, and it makes him the 18th receiver to come off the board. He's being drafted just a couple of spots later than Tee Higgins, in line with Garrett Wilson, and a few picks before Emeka Egbuka, Jaylen Waddle, Terry McLaurin, and Davante Adams. That's a reasonable price tag for McMillan, who caught 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie last year. He finished his first NFL season as the WR16 in PPR leagues, forming a strong rapport with quarterback Bryce Young in a Panthers offense that is trending upward. Fortunately, McMillan remains the undisputed No. 1 receiver in Carolina, and the team didn't bring in any major pass catchers who would steal targets from him. Assuming he stays healthy for a full 17-game stretch this year, he should have no trouble replicating (or even improving upon) the stats from his rookie season last year
McMillan caught both his targets for 25 yards in Friday's 34-17 preseason win over the Jaguars. The Panthers' starting offense played the entire first quarter, and McMillan helped set up the team's first touchdown of the night with a pair of receptions from Bryce Young. McMillan is the clear top downfield option in Carolina after a rookie campaign in which the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft recorded a 70-1,014-7 line on 122 targets over 17 regular-season games, before hauling in five catches on seven more targets for 81 yards in a wild-card loss to the Rams
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was reportedly unguardable during the Panthers' joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars. According to Jaguars beat writer John Shipley, McMillan gave the Jaguars' defense fits and connected well with quarterback Bryce Young. The reigning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year hauled in 70 of 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, but is expected to take on a larger workload this season. McMillan told the media Wednesday that coaches are moving him around the formation to create mismatches. Currently ranked WR26 in RotoBaller's positional rankings, McMillan is a great value looking to build on a strong rookie season
Coach Dave Canales said Wednesday that McMillan got "bigger and stronger" in the offseason, which has been apparent on the practice field in training camp, Mike Kaye of ESPN.com reports. In particular, McMillan put a double move on CB Mike Jackson at Wednesday's practice, creating more separation than he would have previously after beating Jackson off the line before gathering in a touchdown from QB Bryce Young. "At the line of scrimmage, [McMillan] just hasn't really had an issue this camp," Canales added. "Getting off the line, I think that he's really translating all the work he did in the offseason." McMillan again is expected to serve as the top pass catcher in the Panthers offense this season after a 2025 rookie campaign in which he posted a 70-1,014-7 line on 122 targets in 17 regular-season games
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that the starters, including quarterback Bryce Young, will play in the team's preseason game this week against the Buffalo Bills, according to Panthers reporter Kassidy Hill. Young and the starters should get around 10 to 20 plays, depending on how the drives develop. The 25-year-old Young didn't take part in the team's Hall of Fame game last Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals, so he'll see his first preseason action this week. The former first overall pick in 2023 from the University of Alabama had the best year of his career in his third season in 2025, completing 63.6% of his pass attempts for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 16 regular-season starts while leading the team to the NFC South title. However, it's debatable as to how much higher a ceiling Young has, especially since he doesn't have a big arm or very exciting targets outside of receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Young appears to be trending towards being a solid NFL starting QB, but for fantasy purposes, he's more of a low-end QB2 target with a low ceiling
Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan is expected to see an increased role in the slot in 2026, potentially leading to a breakout season. McMillan, the 2025 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, could become a top-10 wideout if this transition is successful
Carolina Panthers wide receiver John Metchie III, who is with his fourth different NFL team in 2026 in a little more than 11 months, had a 19-yard rush and a 36-yard kick return in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. With rookie wideout Chris Brazzell II (knee) already ruled out for the 2026 season, The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye suggests that Metchie has a real shot to compete for the WR3 role this year in Carolina behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. The 26-year-old's primary competition will be Xavier Legette, a former first-rounder who has disappointed in his first two years in the NFL. If Metchie makes more noise in training camp and the preseason, he could have a role in the slot with the Panthers, although it wouldn't generate enough volume for the former second-rounder from Alabama to be much more than a bench stash in deeper redraft formats. In 16 games with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans in 2025, Metchie had career highs with 33 catches, 274 yards, and two touchdowns on 48 targets
Football is officially here. The 2026 NFL season begins this Thursday, when the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals face off in the annual Hall of Fame Game. This preseason game is more unique than the other exhibition matchups. Not only is it the first one of the year, but it's also the only NFL matchup played in "Football Heaven" -- right next to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Panthers are coming off an 8-9 season, which landed them in the playoffs. Carolina became the fifth team in NFL history to win their division with a losing record, and owned the third-worst point differential (-69) by a division winner since 1970. However, the Panthers did have the Offensive Rookie of the Year in wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan , and made several notable additions on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, such as pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd . The goal is to build off what was accomplished in 2025. Remaining healthy will be a primary goal for head coach Dave Canales on Thursday, as the Panthers have had a rough start to training camp. They lost pass rusher Nic Scourton to a torn ACL on the first day of workouts, then rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II tore his LCL. He will miss the entire 2026 season as well. As for the Cardinals, they are beginning a new era. Jonathan Gannon was fired after a 3-14 season and replaced by former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, while the franchise also parted ways with former No. 1 overall pick quarterback Kyler Murray after seven seasons. Arizona became the first franchise in NFL history to finish at least 9 games behind every team in its division. There are pieces in place for the Cardinals, such as tight end Trey McBride and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love , but there's clearly plenty of work to be done. Thursday night is a great opportunity for this new coaching staff to get a look at their young talent in a game situation. Let's break down the first exhibition matchup of the 2026 NFL season and some players to watch. First, here's how you can watch the game. Date: Thursday, Aug. 6 | Time: 8 p.m. ET Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton, Ohio) Channel: NBC | Stream: fubo Follow: CBS Sports App Odds: Panthers -1.5, O/U 36.5 ( DraftKings Sportsbook) The Cardinals made Jeremiyah Love the first running back drafted in the top five since Saquon Barkley in 2018. It snapped the longest drought where a running back wasn't drafted in the top five all-time, and Love automatically becomes the highest-paid running back in the NFL with $50.5 million guaranteed in his rookie contract. Not every franchise would draft a running back in the top three, but Love is that kind of prospect. He led the FBS in rushing touchdowns (35) and total touchdowns (40) over the past two years, and averaged 114.3 rushing yards per game in his final season with Notre Dame. Thursday night will be Love's first NFL action, and Cardinals fans have high hopes for him. However, we saw an elite running back prospect not live up to lofty expectations just last year, as No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty finished 18th in rushing with 975 yards. He struggled to find space behind a lackluster Las Vegas Raiders offensive line. If you were curious, Jeanty rushed three times for -1 yard in his first preseason action. Miami's Carson Beck was the third quarterback selected in this past draft, and he will get the start under center on Thursday night. In his one season with the Hurricanes, Beck completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while leading Miami to the College Football Playoff National Championship. CBS Sports compared Beck to former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff as a prospect, as he's an effective pocket passer. However, Beck clearly struggled when pressured or forced to work off-schedule. With a strong NFL debut on Thursday, he could get the NFL world talking more about the quarterback situation in Arizona. There [... truncated ...]
The Panthers went from two wins in Bryce Young's rookie season to a division title two years later, although the latter was tightly contested and may not have been fully supported by the team's 27th-ranked scoring offense. Even with those scoring struggles, the biggest additions this offseason came on defense, where Carolina added two of the biggest defensive names on the market in edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd . If that pair gives the defense a boost, then success this season may hinge on whether Young can play well enough to earn a big-money extension from the team. We're taking a look at everything you need to know before making Carolina Panthers futures bets below, including odds, trends, 2026 schedule, offseason changes and more before sharing our preseason betting strategy for the team. All odds are from DraftKings. Fans interested in betting on NFL and Super Bowl futures should check out the latest DraftKings promo code . The Panthers got a bump in odds after a free agency period where they brought in two big additions on defense, but the Under took a bit of steam in July. They still remain third in odds to win the division and are seen as much more likely to miss the playoffs than return. The Panthers haven't been shorter than +8000 to win the Super Bowl since Cam Newton was a starter entering 2019, though he played just two games that year. The offense hasn't finished higher than 20th in scoring since, while last year's 15th-place ranking in scoring defense has been Carolina's highest in the same stretch. If you want to wager on NFL futures, you have to check out the latest FanDuel promo code . Pythagorean wins, which is based on points differential, suggests Carolina was more like a 6.5-win team last year than an eight-win team, and its per-play stats tend to agree. The Panthers were 27th in yards per pass play on offense even with the emergence of Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan . The defense struggled in particular on third downs, where it was next to last in success rate. Jaelan Phillips joins the team on a four-year, $120 million contract to boost a pass rush that finished 27th in sack rate, while PFF graded Devin Lloyd third out of 88 qualified linebackers last year. In the draft, the Panthers chose to fortify their offensive line in the first round with tackle Monroe Freeling while the status of both Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton is up in the air, and Luke Fortner steps in to plug the hole at center. While speculation heading into the offseason was that the team could boost its receiver room to raise the ceiling of the offense, little was done to add to the position outside of third-round pick Chris Brazzell, who will miss the season after suffering a knee injury in camp. Before you wager on NFL or Super Bowl futures, head over to our BetMGM promo code to see a great offer. The Panthers' reward for winning the division is non-common opponents that include the Broncos , Seahawks and Eagles , a brutal path to navigate if they're to repeat as division champs. The team will spend a lot of time on the road early before wrapping up the season with four of the last five games at home. If you want to tail R.J. White and other SportsLine and CBS experts, check out the latest Caesars Sportsbook promo code . Yes, the defense added some nice pieces in free agency, but I don't have a lot of faith in the offense to stack wins against a schedule that includes the NFC North and three first-place teams. Getting to eight wins might mean going 5-1 in the division, winning one of two road games against the Browns or Steelers and then getting lucky with two of their better opponents. That is a tough needle to thread. I'll bank on the Panthers having a similar point differential to last year or worse and being a seven-win team at best
Word on Wednesday was that Panthers rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell would miss up to eight weeks after tearing his LCL during practice, but his absence from the field is set to be even longer. Joe Person of TheAthletic.com reports that Brazzell received a second opinion about the knee injury and that he and the team concluded that the best course of action is for the third-round pick to have season-ending surgery . Brazzell is the second Panthers player to suffer a serious knee injury since camp opened last week. Linebacker Nic Scourton will miss the season with a torn ACL. The Panthers also placed wide receiver Dan Chisena on injured reserve this week. The Panthers have signed wideouts Casey Washington and Gabriel Benyard over the last two days. They join Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, John Metchie, Jimmy Horn, Brycen Tremaine, David Moore, and Ainias Smith as available options at wideout
During his first press conference of training camp, Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan addressed his failure to show up for a youth training camp by saying, “ I never committed to that .” McMillan has since said he shouldn’t have said that. “During my press conference this past weekend I misspoke about a summer youth camp,” McMillan tweeted. “For clarity, I agreed to host a camp with FlexWork Sports but in February I noticed a conflict in my schedule and notified the FlexWork team of the change in my availability. FlexWork agreed on my behalf and emailed all camp attendees that day offering refunds for those that didn’t want to attend the other camp option.” The last part conflicts with the reporting regarding the timing of the notification , and regarding the claim from some parents that they never received word that the camp had been canceled. And so the lesson to be learned is this — if a player commits to a camp (or any other appearance that entails fans paying a fee) and then can’t make it, make sure to follow up with the event organizer to ensure that the cancellation was handled properly. In this case, McMillan dropped the ball when it comes to ensuring that FlexWork Sports didn’t drop the ball
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said on Friday that rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II's size and speed will allow the team to use second-year wideout Tetairoa McMillan in the slot more in 2026, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers took McMillan with the eighth overall pick last year out of the University of Arizona, and he immediately delivered, catching 70 of 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 starts to earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The 23-year-old Hawaiian native will be the Panthers' unquestioned WR1 again in 2026, and Carolina's ability to move him around in Year 2 could make him even more exciting for fantasy purposes. McMillan is a full-go at training camp, too, after he dealt with some minor ankle soreness during the offseason program. The addition of Brazzell will create more competition for targets, but McMillan's volume should remain high enough to make him a solid WR2 target with upside for more in 2026 fantasy football drafts. He's currently ranked as RotoBaller's No. 23 fantasy WR
by Ari Koslow | Panthers Correspondent | Thu, Jul 23rd 12:32pm EDT Tetairoa McMillan was at practice on Thursday. ( Joe Person on Twitter ) Fantasy Impact: The Panthers and Cardinals are the first teams to have veterans report to training camp. McMillan had missed most of the spring due to a foot injury. Tetairoa McMillan, who missed most of the spring with a foot injury, is in uniform and practicing. Category: Injury Updates | More Tetairoa McMillan : News , Rankings , Projections , Stats
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