The Carolina Panthers are ranked in the top 25 in ESPN's watchability rankings for the upcoming season.
The Carolina Panthers rank in the top 25 on ESPN's watchability rankings for the upcoming season.
Carolina (21) is one spot ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs and one spot behind the San Francisco 49ers.
"Upset kings! Two of the three biggest upsets last season by pregame spread belong to the Panthers, who beat the Packers as 13.5-point underdogs and the Rams as 9.5-point underdogs just four weeks later," Ben Solak wrote. "In fact, the Panthers were the second team since 1970 to hold a winning record through the first nine games of the season despite being a Vegas underdog in every single game!
"For this reason alone, the Panthers are pretty engaging. They might win! Of course, part of the model for those wins is a grinding offensive philosophy prioritizing field position and time of possession, which might be better consumed via a fourth-quarter check-in or NFL RedZone highlight plays. Still, it is cool to see huge underdogs win outright. It's also cool to see second-year receiver Tetairoa McMillan."
The Panthers averaged only 18.3 points per game last season. That was 27th in the NFL. The offense must be better in 2026.
Otherwise, Carolina will not make the playoffs again.
The Panthers won the NFC South last season with an 8-9 record. They needed help in Week 18 to win the division, so they were not a juggernaut in 2025. McMillan has future star written all over him, but someone else must step up for Bryce Young this season for Carolina to be explosive offensively.
McMillan won the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He's expected to be even better in 2026 since he got stronger this offseason.
McMillan led all rookies last season in receiving yards (1,014), receiving yards per game (59.6) and touchdown receptions (seven) and ranked third in receptions (70). He broke the Panthers' franchise record for most receiving yards by a rookie.
Last season, Young finished with 3,011 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 216 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He led the Panthers to the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
Young enters this season with 8,291 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 718 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in a Carolina uniform.
It will be fascinating to see how McMillan, Young and the Panthers perform in 2026. They will no longer be under the radar after making the playoffs in 2025.
