RADIO
Bryce Young is looking to accomplish something that hasn't been done in 21 years: a No. 1 overall pick winning his NFL debut. The last signal caller to win was David Carr when his Houston Texans won their first game as an expansion team in 2002.
The rookie will have to do so with a lackluster receiving corps against a defense that may be strong against opposing wide receivers. He will have fellow rookie Jonathan Mingo, who the Panthers selected with their second pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Will fantasy managers see more of that on Sunday or will the passing game in Carolina struggle?
D.J. Chark and Adam Thielen Injury Statuses
In the offseason, the Panthers signed veteran wide receivers D.J. Chark and Adam Thielen to give their future first-round pick wideouts to target. At least one won't be available for Young's first appearance.
Chark has been suffering from a hamstring issue since late August and there's no word on when he'll be ready to play. Thielen was limited by an ankle injury during Friday's practice. The ailment forced him to sit out of practice the day prior. He is officially questionable for Sunday.
If Thielen can't give it a go, the Panthers will trot out Mingo, Terrace Marshall Jr. (who was just removed from the injury report himself), and Laviska Shenault Jr.
Should I Start Jonathan Mingo In Fantasy Football In Week 1?
The Atlanta Falcons, despite lacking top-end talent on the defensive side of the football, may actually have one of the stronger pass defenses against wide receivers. There were no season-long metrics that led to that conclusion. The Falcons surrendered the eighth-most passing yards, eighth-highest completion percentage, and tenth-most touchdowns in 2022.
However, in the eight games following a 109-yard performance by Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer, the Falcons clamped down. The opposing team's WR1 never cracked 65 yards the rest of the season.
| Week | Wide Receiver | Yards |
| 10 | D.J. Moore | 29 |
| 11 | Darnell Mooney | 29 |
| 12 | Terry McLaurin | 48 |
| 13 | Diontae Johnson | 60 |
| 15 | Chris Olave | 53 |
| 16 | Sammy Watkins | 40 |
| 17 | Marquise Brown | 61 |
| 18 | Chris Godwin | 55 |
The only wideout of the above group to score a touchdown was Mooney. It should be noted that New Orleans wide receiver Rashid Shaheed went for 95 yards in that Week 15 contest (although 68 of them came on a touchdown pass from Taysom Hill). Young receivers Jahan Dotson and George Pickens were held to zero and two yards, respectively.
Starting a rookie playing with a rookie quarterback in Week 1 takes a lot of guts. Mingo is worthy of a roster spot as he has the potential to develop into the WR1 on Carolina. Even if Thielen sits, there are other waiver wire options that feel safer than Mingo. Van Jefferson, Marvin Mims Jr., Zay Jones, and Donovan Peoples-Jones are all on the list if you're stuck and in need of a spot play.
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