With Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan's status up in the air for Week 17, Jalen Coker could be in for a massive performance against the Seattle Seahawks.
With two weeks left in the 2025 NFL regular season, the Carolina Panthers are in the midst of an intense battle for the top spot in the NFC South with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Heading into Week 17, the Panthers currently hold a one-game lead over their division counterparts, but will be tested by a stout Seattle Seahawks team that is looking to claim the No. 1 spot in the NFC South over the San Francisco 49ers.
Unfortunately for Carolina head coach Dave Canales, reports came out early on Sunday that star rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan could be out with an illness.
If he does miss the contest, losing McMillan would be a significant blow to the offensive efforts, as he leads the team with 65 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns.
Luckily, there is one player who could rise to the occasion and play a key role on offense during Sunday’s critical matchup.
Second-year wide receiver Jalen Coker, since returning from an injury he sustained in the preseason, has been the perfect complementary receiver to McMillan.
In his nine games this season with the Panthers, Coker has racked up 25 catches for 331 yards and two touchdowns.
While it took some time for the former 2024 UDFA to settle in this season, Coker has exploded onto the season over the last three games. During the stretch, he’s tallied 11 catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns. This includes a massive four catch, 74-yard, and one touchdown performance in the team’s impressive win against the Los Angeles Rams.
As the team’s primary slot receiver this season, Coker will receive a much more favorable matchup on Sunday compared to McMillan and the rest of the outside receivers. Instead of having to go up against star cornerback Devon Witherspoon, the Seahawks will likely put rookie nickel cornerback Nick Emmanwori against Coker on Sunday.
While the former 2025 second-round pick continues to shine this season, it’s clear that Canales and the Panthers offense must look for Coker in the passing game to avoid Witherspoon.
Depending on the status of McMillan, the talented playmaker could continue his recent dominant stretch into Week 17.