Panthers' Bryce Young Named Biggest Surprise in 2026

Entering the 2026 season, the Carolina Panthers were looking to build on the success that the team saw a year ago.

Carolina finished the year with a record of 8-9 for the season, getting into the playoffs as the NFC South champions. Due to a weaker division in 2025, the Panthers were able to take advantage to clinch a playoff spot.

While the stay in the postseason wasn't very long, it did offer Carolina some needed experience to build on. This was especially true for quarterback Bryce Young, who had seen multiple shaky seasons in the NFL at the start of his career.

Coming into the season, there were real questions about whether Young could be the franchise quarterback for this team. But through the first four games of the season, Young has answered the bell and then some.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick has looked the part as a franchise player, leading the Panthers to having the second-best passing attack in the league. Young has played so well that he has started to generate some MVP buzz this season.

Due to his play this year, Young has been named as the biggest surprise on the Panthers so far, according to NFL analyst Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report. Young has the Panthers believing that they can compete with any team in the NFL, which wasn't the case coming into the year.

So far this season, Young has thrown for 1,268 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. The veteran signal-caller has been able to take care of the ball well this year, and it has given the Panthers a much better chance to win games.

The success of Young has been electric to see for the Panthers, giving them more confidence going forward. But this team and Young both understand that there is a lot of the season left to go, and consistency will be the key.

If Young can keep up his strong play, the Panthers could be a true force to deal with in the NFC. With their strong passing attack, Carolina can keep up with any team, but the defense will need to play its role.

The Panthers invest a lot of money into the defense this offseason, but so far, it has fallen behind the offense. For Carolina to reach its goals, the defense will have to play better, taking some of the pressure off Young the rest of the way.