CAROLINA PANTHERS
NFC South•8-9 SU · 10-7 ATS•Bank of America Stadium
2026 Just J Football Companion profile
Schedule
Next up · Week 1
vs Chicago Bears
Sun 9/13 · 1:00 PM
2026 schedule
- Wk 1vs Chicago BearsSpread —Total —Sun 9/13 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 2at Atlanta FalconsSpread —Total —Sun 9/20 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 3at Cleveland BrownsSpread —Total —Sun 9/27 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 4vs Detroit LionsSpread —Total —Sun 10/4 · 8:20 PM
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- Wk 5Bye week
- Wk 6at Philadelphia EaglesSpread —Total —Sun 10/18 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 7vs Tampa Bay BuccaneersSpread —Total —Sun 10/25 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 8at Green Bay PackersSpread —Total —Thu 10/29 · 8:15 PM
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- Wk 9vs Denver BroncosSpread —Total —Sun 11/8 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 10at New Orleans SaintsSpread —Total —Sun 11/15 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 11vs Baltimore RavensSpread —Total —Sun 11/22 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 12at Tampa Bay BuccaneersSpread —Total —Mon 11/30 · 8:15 PM
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- Wk 13at Minnesota VikingsSpread —Total —Sun 12/6 · 4:25 PM
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- Wk 14vs New Orleans SaintsSpread —Total —Sun 12/13 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 15vs Cincinnati BengalsSpread —Total —Sun 12/20 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 16at Pittsburgh SteelersSpread —Total —
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- Wk 17vs Seattle SeahawksSpread —Total —Sun 1/3 · 1:00 PM
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- Wk 18vs Atlanta FalconsSpread —Total —
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Every game gets a JustJ pick — ATS side and total. Posted numbers are used the moment books hang them; until then the pick is quoted on the JustJ line and refreshes each week.
Schedule & market notes
- Bye: Week 5 — an early bye — a long back half of the season with no scheduled rest.
- Short-week / non-Sunday games: 1 Thursday, 1 Monday — short-rest games carry their own well-documented ATS variance, worth flagging on your calendar as they approach.
53-MAN ROSTER
Handicapping
Betting profile — vs. the number
2025 ATS
10-7
58.8% cover rate — 6th of 32
2025 Straight up
8-9
Point differential -69
Scoring environment
40.6
Combined points per game — 27th highest of 32
Home venue
Turf
Bank of America Stadium
Points scored / allowed
18.3 per game scored (27th) · 22.4 allowed (15th)
Margin & schedule
Margin of victory -4.1 (23rd) · Strength of schedule +0.5
- Totals: Carolina was a strong ATS team (10-7) even in a losing season under Dave Canales — a squad that's been live as an underdog.
- Trend: Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (PUP) and right tackle Taylor Moton (blood clot) are both sidelined to open 2026, a real short-term vulnerability for a defense-improving roster otherwise on the rise after adding Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd.
Power ratings — strength against the field
SRS power rating
-3.6
21st of 32 — projected points vs. a league-average team on a neutral field
Offensive SRS
-4.9
28th of 32
Defensive SRS
+1.4
13th of 32
Points (margin of victory)
-4.1 · 23rd of 32
Against the spread
10-7 (58.8%) · 6th of 32
Totals (combined PPG)
40.6 · 27th of 32
Turnover differential -2 · 2025 results, Just J Football Companion / Pro-Football-Reference.
Power ratings & 2025 results
- 2025 record: 8-9-0 — Points For 311, Points Against 380 (differential -69).
- Margin of Victory: -4.1 pts/game — the average scoring margin across all 2025 games, win or lose.
- Strength of Schedule (SoS): +0.5 — Pro-Football-Reference's SRS-based measure of 2025 opponent quality; positive means a tougher slate than average.
- SRS (power rating): -3.6 — Simple Rating System score, which converts directly to a projected point spread on a neutral field against a leagueaverage team.
- Offensive SRS: -4.9 · Defensive SRS: +1.4 — the SRS power rating split into offensive and defensive components; higher offensive and higher defensive figures are both better.
- Turnover differential: -2 — total takeaways minus giveaways across the 2025 season, one of the more volatile year-to-year metrics and worth weighing against the rest of this profile rather than on its own.
League-wide unit ranks
Offensive Line
26
Defensive Line / Front Seven
15
Added Jaelan Phillips to pair with Derrick Brown (35 pressures on 450 snaps)
Linebackers
10
Free-agent addition Devin Lloyd (3rd-best LB by PFF grade in 2025) paired with Trevin Wallace
Defensive Backs / Secondary
—
Special Teams
—
Kicker: Ryan Fitzgerald
Overall Offense
28
Offensive SRS: -4.9
Overall Defense
13
Defensive SRS: +1.4
Handicapping notes
- Turf: Bank of America Stadium — 2025: 8-9 straight-up, 10-7 against the spread.
- : Carolina was a strong ATS team (10-7) even in a losing season under Dave Canales — a squad that's been live as an underdog.
- : Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (PUP) and right tackle Taylor Moton (blood clot) are both sidelined to open 2026, a real short-term vulnerability for a defense-improving roster otherwise on the rise after adding Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd.
Pro Bowlers
- Offense: None — no Panthers offensive player made the 2025-season Pro Bowl.
- Defense: CB Jaycee Horn (2nd straight selection).
Coaches
Coaching staff
Head Coach
Dave Canales
3rd season
Offensive Coordinator
Brad Idzik
2nd season
Offensive Line Coach
Joe Gilbert
Defensive Coordinator
Ejiro Evero
4th season
Defensive Line Coach
Todd Wash
Offense
Offensive unit ranks
Offensive Line Rank
12/32
Sharp Football Analysis, 2026 preseason
Key skill players
- QB1Bryce YoungQB26
- RB1Chuba HubbardRB32
- WR1Tetairoa McMillanWR18
- WR2Xavier LegetteWR78
- TE1Tommy Trembleoutside the top 30 TEs
- TEAM DEFENSE (D/ST)Panthers D/ST
Key Offensive Line
LT Ikem EkwonuNC State
fifth-year option exercised (2022 No. 6 overall pick). 5th NFL season; opens 2026 on the PUP list recovering from a torn patellar tendon suffered in the playoffs — a major swing factor for the whole offense.
RG Robert HuntLouisiana
5 yr / $100M free-agent signing (2024), $63M guaranteed; ~$20M AAV. 7th NFL season; PFF's 8th-highest-graded guard the year he signed.
RT Taylor MotonWestern Michigan
2 yr / $44M extension (2024); ~$22M AAV. 10th NFL season; currently sidelined to start 2026 with a blood clot diagnosis.
Defense
Defensive unit ranks
Defensive Line Rank (front seven)
19/32
Sharp Football Analysis, 2026 preseason
Defensive efficiency
- 5.5 yards allowed per play, 19th of 32.
- 16.5% pressure rate generated (blitzed on 22.1% of dropbacks), 31th of 32.
- 42.6% opponent drive scoring rate — a below-average mark.
- 11.7% opponent drive turnover rate — roughly league-average.
- 95 missed tackles on the season.
Key Defensive Line
DT Derrick BrownAuburn
4 yr / $96M extension; ~$24M AAV. 7th NFL season; the long-term anchor of Carolina's front, tied for the team sack lead (5) in 2025.
Jaelan Phillips (Edge, Miami (FL)) — 4 yr / $120M free-agent signing (2026), $80M guaranteed; ~$30M AAV. 6th NFL season; ranked top-10 in the NFL in pressure rate the year before signing.
DT Lee HunterTexas Tech
still on his rookie contract (2026 2nd-round pick). Brought in specifically to help a run defense that's been a multiyear problem area.
Key Linebackers
LB Devin LloydUtah
free-agent signing (2026) from Jacksonville. 5th NFL season; a three-down linebacker with 5 interceptions in 2025, adding real coverage range to Carolina's second level.
LB Trevin WallaceKentucky
still on his rookie contract (2024 3rd-round pick). 3rd NFL season; the returning starter alongside Lloyd.
Edge/OLB Princely UmanmielenFlorida
still on his rookie contract (2025 2nd-round pick). 2nd NFL season; in line for a bigger role after fellow young edge Nic Scourton's training-camp ACL tear.
Key Defensive Backs
CB Jaycee HornSouth Carolina
4 yr / $100M extension; ~$25M AAV. 6th NFL season; a 2x Pro Bowler and the cornerstone of Carolina's secondary.
Mike Jackson (CB, Miami (FL)) — veteran starter opposite Horn; 7th NFL season, a dependable complementary corner who has started for multiple playoff teams.
CB Chau Smith-WadeWashington State
still on his rookie contract (2024 4th-round pick). 3rd NFL season; Carolina's primary nickel/slot corner. NF C S OU TH CAROLINA PANTHERS
Fantasy
Projected fantasy points per game · 2026
Standard 12-team scoring (non-PPR): 1 pt / 25 pass yds, 4 pts pass TD, -2 INT, 1 pt / 10 rush+rec yds, 6 pts TD, -2 fumble lost. Projections are modeled from each player's 2026 positional rank.
| Player | Rank | Proj FPPG | Proj season | Actual FPPG | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB1 Bryce Young | QB26 | 13.5 | 230 | — | — |
| RB1 Chuba Hubbard | RB32 | 6.5 | 111 | — | — |
| WR1 Tetairoa McMillan | WR18Starter | 12.8 | 218 | — | — |
| WR2 Xavier Legette | WR78 | 5.0 | 85 | — | — |
| TE1 Tommy Tremble | outside the top 30 TEs | — | — | — | — |
| TEAM DEFENSE (D/ST) Panthers D/ST | — | — | — | — | — |
Season fantasy tracker
Weekly fantasy scoring for these players appears here once 2026 games go final — each week's points are graded in standard 12-team scoring and rolled into the actual FPPG above.
Environment
- Home games: outdoor stadium — late-season (Dec./Jan.) home dates carry real weather risk for passing-game and kicking volume.
- Road dome/retractable-roof games: ideal weather-neutral spots for maximum fantasy production: Wk 2 (Atlanta Falcons), Wk 10 (New Orleans Saints), Wk 13 (Minnesota Vikings).
- 2025 recap: Chuba Hubbard was a mid-tier RB2 in a run-heavy offense, while Bryce Young and the Carolina passing game largely stayed on the fantasy waiver wire outside of McMillan's rookie flashes.
- 2026 projection: McMillan enters his second season as a legitimate breakout WR2/3 candidate as Young's clear top target. Hubbard remains touch-dependent in a run-focused offense with real touchdown-efficiency risk. Young himself stays a bottom-tier streamer only in the deepest leagues.
- Tetairoa McMillan: Pro: clear-cut WR1 target volume as a former top-10 pick entering Year 2. Con: Bryce Young's inconsistency at QB caps his weekly ceiling.
- Chuba Hubbard: Pro: a full workhorse role in a run-first offense. Con: touchdown equity and pass-catching work are both real questions in this passing-limited scheme. NF C S OU TH CAROLINA PANTHERS
NOTES
No notes on CAROLINA PANTHERS yet.