Panthers star a must-start for fantasy football owners in Week 1
· Yahoo Sports
It's been a long time since the Carolina Panthers had a legitimate fantasy football stud on their roster. That all changed last season, thanks to the addition of wide receiver and 2025 first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan.
Coming off his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, McMillan has added 17 pounds of muscle and stands to establish himself as one of the game's most dynamic pass catchers. And his statement could start on Sunday, with a juicy matchup at home in the season opener against the Chicago Bears.
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Here is ESPN's Tristian H. Cockcroft on why McMillan has one of the league's best fantasy matchups for Week 1.
He was one of last season's more underrated wide receivers, the No. 16 scorer at his position despite playing for what was the league's sixth-worst offense. McMillan now kicks off his sophomore year facing a defense that, despite boasting a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback in Jaylon Johnson, struggled mightily against opposing wide receivers last season. Teams' No. 1 wide receivers on the whole averaged nearly three full fantasy points more against the Bears in 2025 than they did in a typical week, and 11 of them (in 18 games) scored 17 or more in those contests.
Chicago's secondary is the best part of their defense—but without a potent pass rush, it will often be left out to dry in coverage. That will be particularly tough against threats like McMillan, who has the size and athleticism to punish the vast majority of defensive backs now that he's muscled up to a pro level.
Last season, the Bears allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers—giving up a total of 187 catches, 2,676 yards and 20 touchdowns. That, per FanDuel scoring, came out to exactly 30 points per game.
If you're still leery about McMillan going up against two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson, it's probably worth a gamble to start Jalen Coker—who won't have an all-star shadowing him at Bank of America Stadium.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers star a must-start for fantasy football owners in Week 1