Fantasy Football Player Notes

Before the switch to Mason Rudolph from Week 7-13 (when Diontae Johnson returned healthy), DJ led the team with a 26% target share and 9.2 fantasy points per game.
After Johnson returned from his injury in Week 7, he was overall very effective regardless of the QB play. He led the team with a 23% target share (as he typically does) while scoring 5 TDs averaging 9.7 points per game and 14 expected fantasy points per game. Despite the Steelers' offensive transitions and his own injuries to overcome, Johnson maintained his productivity, finishing the season with 127.2 fantasy points, averaging 10 points per game, and ranking 36th in points per game. Now in Carolina, Johnson will project for a boatload of targets in an offense that fueled Adam Thielen to WR25 finish. Johnson will be at worst a fantasy WR3 with potential ceiling unlocked if Bryce Young can take a step forward in 2024.

Chuba Hubbard stole the lead back job in Carolina from Miles Sanders last year. Maybe injuries helped pave the way, but Hubbard proved the entire season that he was the better player on a per-touch basis. Hubbard rolled up volume as Carolina's guy. In Weeks 6-18, as the RB24 in fantasy points per game, he averaged 19.2 touches and 77.7 total yards. We'll see if Hubbard can keep the job this year with a new coaching staff that has no allegiances to him. His efficiency stats don't paint a pretty picture, as he was 30th in explosive run rate, 32nd in missed tackles forced per attempt, and 31st in yards after contact per attempt last season (per Fantasy Points Data). Hubbard could be the Panthers' starting running back this season, but this situation could easily evolve into a messy committee.

Adam Thielen's 2023 season provided the full-body experience of an older veteran WR with zero competition for targets. He started out of the gates red hot, as the WR11 overall through 11 weeks, scoring fantasy points per game at a top-15 rate at 13.7. But alas the 33-year-old could not continue his production with shoddy QB play from his rookie QB. WR51 from Weeks 12-18. Woof. With 103 receptions (10th) on 137 targets (25% target share, 14th), Thielen racked up 1,014 receiving yards, averaging 9.8 yards per reception, and notched 4 touchdown receptions running the 5th-most routes in the NFL. He ended the season with a 10.6 points per game average, securing him as the 25th overall wide receiver in half-PPR scoring. WR31 per game. He's under contract until 2026 and will be entering the offseason as the Panthers' No. 1 WR until they add more WRs in the draft/free agency - the latter of which will likely happen based on the Panthers' interest before this past year's trade deadline.

Xavier Legette, a standout wide receiver from South Carolina, made his mark in college football with exceptional performances, especially during his super senior year. At 6'3" and 227 lbs, Legette combines size and athleticism, ideal for an outside receiver role. Known for his strong hands and ability to secure catches in traffic, he doesn't rely on his body to catch the ball, which underscores his reliability. Legette broke out in his fifth year with a 35% dominator rating, accumulating 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns on 71 receptions. While entering the NFL at 23 as a one-year wonder does present concerns about his consistency, his physical attributes are reminiscent of players like D.K. Metcalf, highlighting his potential but also his dependence on the right team setup. Drafted in the first round by the Carolina Panthers, who see his fit in an offense designed to leverage his playmaking and yards-after-catch skills under new HC Dave Canales, Legette's success may hinge significantly on how well he's utilized in the Panthers' scheme.