Rookie tight end officially questionable, likely to suit up
Among Carolina Panthers likely to play versus the Eagles in Week 14 are edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney and rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. Sanders suffered a neck injury in Week 12 versus the Chiefs. He was a full participant in practice Friday after being a limited participant Wednesday and Thursday. The University of Texas product looks forward to returning in Week 14 versus the Eagles. He was logging reps as the Panthers’ main tight end from Week 5 until the injury.
The rookie tight end averaged 4.1 targets and 39.1 receiving yards per game from Week 5 to 12, earning four red zone targets and scoring one touchdown. During that span, Sanders played the majority of snaps ahead of fourth-year tight end Tommy Tremble. Tremble drew eight targets in Week 13 with Sanders out, catching five for 77 yards. Sanders is a desperation-only bye week fill-in tight end in Week 14, especially against a stingy Eagles defense.
– Joel Ybarra, @metaffb
Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders posted a dud ...
Per head coach Dave Canales, the Carolina Panthers are ...
Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (head/neck) ...
Fourth-year back gets bell cow usage and adds to impressive rushing season
Chuba Hubbard owned the Panthers’ backfield Sunday with Miles Sanders (knee/foot) playing only six snaps and Jonathon Brooks a healthy scratch. Hubbard ran the ball 28 times for 153 yards and a score versus the Giants in Munich. He is now No. 3 in the NFL with 818 rushing yards, trailing only Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. With Sanders banged up and Brooks ramping up slowly, Hubbard is getting bell cow usage and careening toward league winner status.
With the Panthers leaning into the run game and not much resistance from the Giants on the other side of the ball, Bryce Young threw only 25 passes, his lowest pass attempt total on the season. Young is a last resort QB start. He does not add much on the ground, although he did add 30 yards on the ground Sunday on two rush attempts.
In a low volume passing attack, Jalen Coker was the target leader with eight, catching just three for 41 yards. Xavier Legette caught three of his four targets for 40 yards and Ja’Tavion Sanders had the lone receiving touchdown on one of his two targets. Sanders caught his other target, but went down on the one-yard line. Otherwise, he would have had a two-catch, two-touchdown day.
– Joel Ybarra, @metaffb
Bryce Young gets third straight start coming off win vs. Saints
Dave Canales named Bryce Young starter for the Panthers’ Week 10 tilt versus the Giants in Germany. Young engineered a game-winning touchdown drive against the Saints in Week 9, but completed just 16 passes for 171 yards and one TD. Ja’Tavion Sanders led the team in receiving with four catches for 87 yards. Xavier Legette had the lone touchdown, leading the team with six targets and catching four of them for 33 yards. It’s a low-ceiling passing offense in Carolina, Legette being the lone touchdown threat. The Giants have a bottom-third pass defense, but the Panthers-Giants matchup has a low 40.5 game total, the Panthers a 17-point implied total.
Jonathon Brooks has been activated from IR and looks to take the field in Week 10. He will ramp up slowly, however, spelling Chuba Hubbard along with Miles Sanders. Hubbard has been the bell cow in Carolina, average 14.8 carries and 3.2 targets per game. He is No. 11 with 773 total yards among running backs on the season. The Giants’ defense is also bottom-third against the run. With the muted game environment, Hubbard is a high-end RB3.
– Joel Ybarra, @metaffb
With the Panthers tight end room looking for a leader, Jordan Matthews is emerging where there has recently been a large void.
Jordan Matthews is 32 years old and attempting to reinvent himself and spark his NFL career after having experienced failure at the wide receiver position. Dan Tonna on X reports that Jordan Matthews has been making waves with the Carolina Panthers and that Ian Thomas may be a surprise cut.
While team reporters are not always accurate in their analysis, it is worth noting the observations being made by those who cover a team on a regular basis. As no tight end has emerged to steal away the starting job and franchise quarterback Bryce Young in need of a safety blanket and big target over the middle, Jordan Matthews stepping up is a breath of fresh air.
The future of the tight end position in Carolina looks to be Ja’Tavion Sanders, however Jordan Matthews needs to be on fantasy gamers radars, particularly those who deploy the late tight end strategy. Expect blossoming from the Carolina Panthers tight end room to bloom with meager results. In the meantime, it looks as if Jordan Matthews is making a career altering comeback.
Ian Thomas has “stolen the spotlight” at Tight End for the Panthers during OTAs according to ESPN’s David Newton.
This isn’t the news Ja’Tavion Sanders’ Fantasy Owners are trying to hear at this point in the offseason. Sanders at one time appeared to be the second best Tight End prospect in the 2024 Draft behind Brock Bowers. The NFL expressed different feelings when he went off the board as the fourth Tight End in the draft, landing with the Panthers at the beginning of the 4th round. While he went later than expected, the landing spot offers an immediate opportunity for him to produce, with minimum competition and a new Head Coach that likes getting the Tight End position involved in the passing game.
There has been minimal chatter about Sanders so far as a Carolina Panther, which is a less than stellar sign. It’s still too early to crown Ian Thomas as a potential fantasy difference maker in 2024. This will be a situation to monitor throughout the offseason, as Sanders may won’t warrant a selection in redraft or best ball formats if further reports emerge that Thomas could be the Panthers starter at Tight End in 2024.
Texas Tight End Ja’ Tavion Sanders is expected to be one of the top tight ends drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Texas Tight End Ja’Tavion Sanders measured in at 6’4″ and 245 lbs. Sanders ran a 4.69 40-yard dash which is a little slower than his film would suggest.
In 2 years at Texas, Sanders had 99 catches and 1,295 yards and 7 touchdowns. He committed to Texas as a 5-star Athlete. Once Sanders was on campus he became a tight end, playing a new position that he excelled at. He can only get better with more experience.
Fantasy players looking for a Tight End will be excited to see where Sanders gets drafted. His film shows some crazy catches and insane yards after catch. If you miss out on Brock Bowers, Sanders will be a great option.
