Carolina Panthers

Darren Waller

TE

Waller actually had a one-yard touchdown called back on a penalty on the Panthers' opening drive. Carolina used all three of Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans and Waller pretty heavily against Chicago, and both Tremble and Waller each ran 18 routes. Waller isn't going to be a full-time player, but it's clear he's going to be featured in the scoring area. He's a touchdown-or-bust fantasy bet most weeks and gets a road date with the Falcons next Sunday.

Jonathon Brooks

RB

Brooks initially missed practice Sept. 1 due to general soreness before opening Week 1 prep with back-to-back limited practices due to a groin injury. A full practice Friday resulted in no designation for Sunday's game, but he played a distant second to Chuba Hubbard (13 touches, 87 yards from scrimmage and two total TDs) out of the Panthers backfield in the season opener. Perhaps by putting his recent health concern further in the rearview mirror, Brooks will be more involved in the offense next Sunday in Atlanta.

Tetairoa McMillan

WR

In the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history, McMillan had just one catch for 14 yards in the first half, but he was able to pad his numbers after halftime as the Panthers' offense tried in vain to keep pace. Jalen Coker (8-138-2 on nine targets) was Bryce Young's favorite target on the afternoon, but he and McMillan were the only two Carolina wide receivers to catch a pass in the contest, a good sign for the future volume of both. McMillan will look to build on this performance in Week 2 on the road against the Falcons.

Chuba Hubbard

RB

In the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history, Hubbard did his part to keep Carolina competitive, opening the scoring with a four-yard grab in the first quarter and adding a two-yard TD plunge in the third. Hubbard also out-paced Jonathon Brooks in touch volume, getting 13 to the younger back's five as he tightened his grip on the No. 1 spot on the depth chart. Hubbard will look to stay productive in Week 2 on the road against the Falcons.

Jalen Coker

WR

In the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history, Coker emerged as Bryce Young's favorite downfield option, leading the Panthers in receptions, targets and yards and hauling in a 51-yard TD in the second quarter and an eight-yard score in the fourth. Coker's production was a near match for the 9-134-1 line he produced on 12 targets in Carolina's wild-card loss to the Rams last season, and he seems poised for a breakout campaign. He'll look to make an impact again in Week 2 on the road against the Falcons.

Bryce Young

QB

In the highest-scoring Week 1 contest in NFL history, Young did his part to try and keep Carolina in the game, but his defense couldn't slow down Chicago's ground game. The fourth-year QB tossed one score to Chuba Hubbard in the first quarter and two to Jalen Coker in the second and fourth while also running one in himself from seven yards out in the second quarter. Young accounted for a career-high 25 touchdowns (23 through the air, two on the ground) in 2025, but he's off to a flying start in the quest to top that number this season. He'll look to stay sharp in Week 2 on the road against the Falcons.

Princely Umanmielen

LB

Umanmielen was a third-round pick out of Ole Miss last year and appeared in 16 regular-season games as a rookie, recording 24 tackles (13 solo), including 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on just 222 defensive snaps and another 88 on special teams. With Jones injured and Nic Scourton (knee) done for the year, Umanmielen is likely to see more action in 2026.

John Metchie III

WR

Metchie did enough in training camp to earn a spot on the Panthers' 53-man roster, though he'll observe Sunday's game in street clothes while Jimmy Horn and Brycen Tremayne serve as Carolina's rotational wide receivers behind Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette. Metchie's next chance to play is Week 2 against the Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 20.

Ja'Tavion Sanders

TE

Sanders, a fourth-round selection of the Panthers in the 2024 NFL Draft, will be a healthy scratch for Week 1 while Carolina rolls with Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, Darren Waller and Feleipe Franks as the active tight ends for Sunday's regular-season opener. Sanders' next chance to suit up is Week 2 against the Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 20, though he may not be active for a game unless there's an injury to a tight end ahead of him on the depth chart.

Haynes King

QB

King beat out Kyle Trask for a spot on the Panthers' 53-man roster at the conclusion of training camp, and the former will be the emergency QB3 behind starter Bryce Young and backup Kenny Pickett for Week 1. That means King will not be allowed to play Sunday unless both Young and Pickett were removed from the contest due to injury, illness or ejection.

Zakee Wheatley

S

inactive

Albert Reese IV

OT

inactive

Cam Jackson

DT

inactive

Patrick Jones II

LB

inactive

Bobby Brown III

DT

Akayleb Evans

CB

Evans was held out of the Panthers' preseason finale against the Texans on Aug. 28 after aggravating a neck injury during practice. However, his absence from the first injury report of Week 1 prep indicates that he'll be available to play against the Bears on Sunday. Evans contributed mostly on special teams during the 2025 regular season, finishing with 12 tackles (six solo) across 16 games.

Jaelan Phillips

LB

Phillips was dealing with an arm injury that caused him to miss training camp practices and preseason games, but the sixth-year pro's absence from Wednesday's report indicates that he'll play Sunday against Chicago. Phillips and Patrick Jones (back) will serve as Carolina's starting edge rushers for the upcoming season, with Trevis Gipson and Princely Umanmielen providing depth at the position.

Derrick Brown

DT

Brown was limited by a knee injury during training camp, but the 2020 first-rounder practiced Wednesday without limitations and should be available for Week 1 against the Bears on Sunday. The Auburn product put together a solid statline last year, finishing with 73 tackles (33 solo), including a career-high 5.0 sacks, seven pass defenses and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season games.

Devin Lloyd

LB

Lloyd was working through a knee injury toward the tail end of training camp, but his absence from injury report indicates that the fifth-year pro will play in Sunday's regular-season opener against the Bears. Lloyd inked a three-year, $42 million contract with the Panthers in March after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Jaguars, and he is slated to start alongside Bobby Okereke at inside linebacker, with both Claudin Cherelus and Jackson Kuwatch providing depth at the position.

Xavier Legette

WR

Legette dealt with an ankle injury last month and was in a walking boot a little over two weeks ago, but he's past the issue and ready to go for the Panthers' season opener against Chicago on Sunday. Legette is expected to open the season as the WR3 behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. Expect the Panthers to use plenty of multiple-tight-end sets after adding Darren Waller, so that could limit Legette's playing time.

Trevor Etienne

RB

ir

AJ Dillon

RB

Dillon had been in a preseason battle with Trevor Etienne (ankle) for the third spot on the depth chart, but Etienne was placed on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return, ruling Etienne out for the first four games of the regular season at minimum. Dillon is behind Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) and Jonathon Brooks (soreness) in the backfield pecking order, but Dillon would have a clear path to playing time early in the season if either of the top two running backs missed any game action.

Brady Christensen

G

Christensen will be required to miss the first four games of the regular season on IR before becoming eligible to return to the Panthers' active roster. Mike Kaye of ESPN.com reports that general manager Dan Morgan said he expects Christensen to return at some point during the regular season, but it remains unclear when that will be.

Bam Martin-Scott

LB

Martin-Scott picked up a hamstring injury during training camp practice, preventing him from playing in the Panthers' preseason finale against the Texans on Friday. The injury is severe enough for the South Carolina product to start the regular season on IR, meaning he won't be eligible to play until at least Week 6 against the Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 18. Martin-Scott mostly served on special teams for the Panthers in 2025, finishing with 21 tackles (seven solo) and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season games.

Taylor Moton

OT

Moton will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. He was diagnosed with blood clots in his lung before the beginning of training camp and is being treated using blood thinners. The earliest Moton can return is Week 6 against the Eagles, though the Panthers will likely take the cautious route with the 2017 second-rounder given the nature and severity of the injury. Monroe Freeling is in line to start at right tackle in Moton's absence.