BryceYoung

News: 5 days agoYoung failed to complete either of his two pass attempts and rushed once for two yards in the Panthers' 20-3 preseason loss to the Texans on Saturday afternoon.

Spin: Young and his first-unit teammates played only two series, and as his final line indicates, the 2023 first overall pick couldn't get on the board as a passer. He targeted Ja'Tavion Sanders and rookie sensation Tetairoa McMillan with his two throws, with the former unable to find the handle on his opportunity despite the ball hitting his hands. He also saw his first pass intercepted by Derek Stingley and returned 31 yards into Panthers territory, but the play was nullified by a defensive holding penalty. While it was an underwhelming cameo for Young to say the least, expectations remain high for him in Year 2 in Dave Canales' offense, and he also was sharp during joint practices against Houston earlier in the week. Young's preseason now is complete, as David Newton of ESPN.com reports Canales already has ruled out playing starters in Thursday night's home preseason finale against the Steelers.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Young is entering his third NFL season looking to carry over the momentum from a strong finish to 2024. After a tough rookie campaign, the 2023 No. 1 pick was briefly benched last season prior to making a big leap once back in the lineup. Young played 10 full games from Week 8 on and averaged 18.0 fantasy PPG, which would've ranked 10th over the full season. He posted a pair of top-2 fantasy weeks in his final three outings. Young threw multiple passing TDs in each of those final three games, but perhaps most notable was his leap as a rusher (30-208-5 during his final eight games after totaling 294 yards and one TD in his first 22 pro games). Young still has a lot to prove, but the 23-year-old's late-season surge, as well as the arrival of first-round WR Tetairoa McMillan, is enough to make him worth late-round consideration on draft day.