The Carolina Panthers' skill position group for the 2026 season is ranked in the bottom five in the NFL.
The Carolina Panthers' skill position group for the upcoming 2026 season is ranked in the bottom five in the NFL by FOX Sports.
Carolina's skill players on offense are Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, Chuba Hubbard and John Metchie III.
"Carolina struck gold with Tetairoa McMillan, the Offensive Rookie of the Year," FOX Sports wrote. "Beyond him, there is at least some hope for more. WR Xavier Legette was disappointing as a rookie, but he was their 2024 first-round pick. And WR Jalen Coker had a late-season surge last year. But the Panthers are lacking at tight end, and while they do have the underrated Chuba Hubbard at running back, they lost their leading rusher (Rico Dowdle) in free agency. Maybe Jonathan Brooks, their 2024 second-round pick, will finally emerge. Beyond T-Mac, this is a skill group that has a ton of growing to do."
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.
