This article is part of our Team Previews series.
Carolina Panthers 
Carolina finished its 2023 campaign with the worst offense in the league, but the team's front office made significant efforts to surround QB Bryce Young with more talent going into his second season. The Panthers hired an offensive-minded head coach in Dave Canales, while also adding WRs Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette through a trade and the NFL Draft, respectively. Young will lead a totally revamped offense in 2024 and look to lead Carolina to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Carolina Panthers 2024 Vital Information
- Head Coach: Dave Canales (Year 1)
- Offensive Coordinator: Brad Idzik (Year 1) – West Coast offense
- Defensive Coordinator: Ejiro Evero (Year 2) – 3-4 scheme
- Bye Week: 11
Full 2024 Carolina Panthers Depth Chart
Full 2023 Carolina Panthers Stats
Stats to Know for the Carolina Panthers
- 2023 Record: 2-15
- 2023 Strength of Schedule: .522 (T-9th)
- 2023 Point Differential: -180 (31st)
- 2023 Pass-Play Rate: 62% (10th)
- 2023 PROE: -5.4% (29th)
- 2023 PFF O-Line Rating: 29th
| 2023 Stats | Offense | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Plays | 1,096 (10th) | 1,016 (4th) |
| Points | 236 (31st) | 416 (29th) |
| Turnovers | 20 (T-14th) | 11 (32nd) |
| Yards | 4,510 (32nd) | 4,997 (4th) |
| Rush Yards | 1,769 (20th) | 2,081 (23rd) |
| Pass Yards | 2,741 (32nd) | 2,916 (3rd) |
| Drives | 180 (T-23rd) | 183 (T-9th) |
| Yards per Drive | 25.1 (29th) | 27.3 (5th) |
| Points per Drive | 1.19 (30th) | 2.09 (27th) |
Carolina Panthers 2024 Key Transactions
Skill Positions
| QB | RB | WR | TE | |
| Veteran Additions | None | Rashaad Penny | Diontae Johnson | None |
| David Moore | ||||
| Veteran Departures | None | Tarik Cohen | DJ Chark | Hayden Hurst |
| Laviska Shenault | Giovanni Ricci |
Defense
Draft Picks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position |
| 1 | 32 | Xavier Legette | WR |
| 2 | 46 | Jonathon Brooks | RB |
| 3 | 72 | Trevin Wallace | LB |
| 4 | 101 | Ja'Tavion Sanders | TE |
| 5 | 157 | Chau Smith-Wade | CB |
| 6 | 200 | Jaden Crumedy | DT |
| 7 | 240 | Michael Barrett | LB |
Carolina Panthers 2024 Top Fantasy Story
The Panthers' offensive success this season ultimately will come down to the play of Bryce Young, who was the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He had a rough rookie season, throwing for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 16 games. However, he dealt with poor offensive line play and a lack of weapons that the Panthers have since addressed.
Carolina's receiving corps is new and improved, headlined by the offseason acquisitions of Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette, the latter of whom was selected with the 32nd pick in 2024 Draft. Johnson has shown that he can be a team's top receiver in the past, posting a 107-1,161-8 receiving line for the Steelers in 2021. As for Legette, his combination of size and speed allowed him to be one of the best deep threats in all of college football last year, posting a 35-plus-yard catch in seven of his 12 games. Adding Johnson and Legette to a room that already includes Adam Thielen, who had 1,014 yards primarily from the slot in 2023, should make life easier for Young in Year 2.
Chuba Hubbard and Tommy Tremble are expected to start as the Panthers' top running back and tight end, respectively. However, Carolina selected a pair of Texas rookies in RB Jonathon Brooks and TE Ja'Tavion Sanders in this year's draft, and as the season progresses, the two could take reps from the returnees, especially if Hubbard and Tremble don't show improvements from last season.
Carolina Panthers 2024 Sleepers
⬆️ Sleeper: RB Jonathon Brooks
Despite tearing his ACL 11 games into his final collegiate season, Brooks was the first running back to hear his name called in the 2024 Draft. While the Texas product was expected to be ready for the start of training camp, he'll instead yield first-team reps to Chuba Hubbard until Brooks gets back on the field. In the end, as Brooks learns the offense and returns to full health, he eventually could take much of Hubbard's workload.
😴 Super Sleeper: TE Ja'Tavion Sanders
Sanders, another Texas product, was the fourth tight end off the board in this year's draft. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher displayed an ability to be a vertical threat over his last two years at Texas, logging 99 receptions for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns. Carolina's leading receiver from the tight end spot in 2023 was Tommy Tremble, who recorded 194 yards in 16 games. If Sanders can show even a glimpse of what he did in college, he could see the field a lot in 2024.
Carolina Panthers 2024 Team Futures
- Panthers Super Bowl 59 odds: 300-1 (32nd) via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Dave Canales 2024 Coach of the Year odds: 20-1 (T-10th) via BetMGM Sportsbook
- 2024 Projected Over/Under Win Total: 5.5 (T-30th) via FanDuel Sportsbook
Carolina Panthers 2024 Player Futures
- Jonathon Brooks 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds: 60-1 (T-16th) via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Bryce Young 2024 NFL Over/Under Passing Yards: 3200.5 (T-23rd) via DraftKings Sportsbook
- Jadeveon Clowney 2024 Over/Under Sack Total: 6.5 (T-25th) via BetMGM Sportsbook
Carolina Panthers 2024 Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff (ET) |
| 1 | Sep 8 | at New Orleans Saints | 1:00 PM |
| 2 | Sep 15 | Los Angeles Chargers | 1:00 PM |
| 3 | Sep 22 | at Las Vegas Raiders | 4:05 PM |
| 4 | Sep 29 | Cincinnati Bengals | 1:00 PM |
| 5 | Oct 6 | at Chicago Bears | 1:00 PM |
| 6 | Oct 13 | Atlanta Falcons | 4:25 PM |
| 7 | Oct 20 | at Washington Commanders | 4:05 PM |
| 8 | Oct 27 | at Denver Broncos | 4:25 PM |
| 9 | Nov 3 | New Orleans Saints | 1:00 PM |
| 10 | Nov 10 | New York Giants | 9:30 AM |
| 11 | Bye | ||
| 12 | Nov 24 | Kansas City Chiefs | 1:00 PM |
| 13 | Dec 1 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4:05 PM |
| 14 | Dec 8 | at Philadelphia Eagles | 1:00 PM |
| 15 | Dec 15 | Dallas Cowboys | 1:00 PM |
| 16 | Dec 22 | Arizona Cardinals | 1:00 PM |
| 17 | Dec 29 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 PM |
| 18 | TBD | at Atlanta Falcons | TBD |
