Latest news with #BryceYoung
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
One fantasy football take for every NFC team for 2025
Fantasy football analyst Scott Pianowski takes a snapshot of every NFL team from the NFC. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] NFC South New Orleans Saints Alvin Kamara is one of several veteran running backs who outkicked expectations last year. But maybe it's time to stop putting our chip on his number. Kamara steps into an age-30 season, and he's tied to a substandard offensive line and an inexperienced quarterback room. Kamara has also had trouble scoring touchdowns (he has seldom used for the chippies) and staying healthy in recent years (he's played a full season just once since turning pro). Unless my fantasy football draft rooms offer a major discount on Kamara, I'll note the actuary curves and sit this one out. Carolina Panthers Bryce Young looked like a lost cause in his rookie season and was benched early in his sophomore campaign, but things took a positive turn down the stretch last year. Young posted a 92.3 quarterback rating and 6.9 YPA over his final seven starts, solid numbers when you consider how thin the Panthers were at receiver. Young also tacked on five rushing touchdowns, making him the QB6 for this period. Young seems to be meshing with offensive mind Dave Canales, and touted rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan has been added to the passing game. Young deserves sleeper consideration in 2025. Atlanta Falcons The longer I play fantasy football the more I want my rosters to skew younger, so I get the best part of a player's career. Bijan Robinson is an appealing pick in his age-23 season, after outscoring all the backs over the final 12 weeks last year. It took new OC Zac Robinson some time to figure out Robinson's best usage last year; he's there now. I realize Robinson is high on everyone's board, but he enters the summer as my RB1, the best of the backfield targets. I'm happy to pass on Saquon Barkley's mileage (the workload last year is especially worrisome) and take a back who's five years younger. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Buccaneers can't be that worried about Chris Godwin's return from ankle surgery — they gave him a three-year deal in March, after all. But the team also isn't guaranteeing that Godwin will be ready to play Week 1. The Yahoo draft market has kept Godwin in the top 80, which might be optimistic given the crowding in this passing game — Mike Evans is still here, Emeka Egbuka was drafted in the first round and Jalen McMillan had moments in his rookie season. It's also worth noting that Godwin has not been a dynamic touchdown scorer with Baker Mayfield, spiking a modest seven times over their 24 games together. Unless the draft price comes down, I'll be avoiding Godwin in August. NFC West Arizona Cardinals Kyler Murray's touchdown rate has been below league average for three years running, and I don't think that's a coincidence. Murray is obviously an undersized quarterback and there are some red-zone throws that he struggles to complete. And while Murray remains a dynamic runner when the mood strikes him, he's not a heavy-volume player in that regard — he averages a useful but modest 33.1 rushing yards per game over the past four seasons. There are so many interesting quarterback options on the 2025 board, I'm not going to talk myself into a player I don't completely trust. Murray is not a target for me this summer. Seattle Seahawks Early Yahoo drafters are treating Kenneth Walker as the RB16. I'm not interested at that price. The Seahawks have a substandard offensive line, and Zach Charbonnet was a more efficient runner and receiver than Walker last season. Walker has also missed multiple games due to injury in each of his three pro seasons. I'll think about Charbonnet in the later rounds, or skip this backfield altogether. San Francisco 49ers The market doesn't know what to do with Christian McCaffrey this year, and I understand. He's currently the RB4 in Yahoo ADP, typically going in that 10-13 range overall. McCaffrey has missed more than half the season in three of his past five years, but in his past four healthy seasons, he's been the RB3, RB1, RB2 and RB1 in basic fantasy scoring. It's ironic that McCaffrey played just four games last year while most of the other signature backs in the league were shockingly healthy. Bottom line, McCaffrey is the biggest boom-or-bust pick in the league. Do you feel lucky? Los Angeles Rams It's important to recognize when a fantasy candidate has more or less real-life value than fantasy value; you need to mind that gap. Puka Nacua could be one of those guys, perhaps more valuable in the real world. The Rams haven't unlocked Nacua as a touchdown scorer (just 10 in 31 career games, including the playoffs), and they had little success with Nacua around the goal last year. And now Davante Adams joins the offense, a player put on the Earth to score touchdowns. Nacua also has more injury risk than the average player — he missed six games last year, and all four of his college seasons were injury-riddled. I understand the upside of Nacua — if healthy, he has a fair chance to lead the league in receptions. But he's currently commanding around a top-10 pick in Yahoo leagues, and I won't sign off on that. NFC East New York Giants Malik Nabers is currently the WR7 off the board in Yahoo drafts. The market might be missing an opportunity here. New York's quarterback room is complicated, but at least things are upgraded from last year's medley of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito. And the Brian Daboll scheme will force the ball to its best players — Nabers was second in the NFL in targets last year despite missing two games. Normally the goal with your early picks is to target the best players on the best teams, but Nabers is likely too big to fail. If you sneak him in the second half of your first round, you've done well. Dallas Cowboys Injuries have been common with Dak Prescott in recent seasons — he's missed 25 games the past five years — and perhaps it's obscuring what's possible. Consider that he was the QB2 in 2019, QB7 in 2021 and QB3 in 2023, the year he finished second in the MVP voting. The supporting cast looks appealing; the Cowboys have an elite wideout in CeeDee Lamb and now a dynamic No. 2 in George Pickens — if Pickens is OK in that role. Jake Ferguson isn't a bad tight end. And perhaps Prescott will have to throw liberally, given a defense that was 24th in DVOA last year, and a running game that looks pedestrian on paper. Prescott is currently the No. 14 quarterback in Yahoo ADP, and has the potential to smash that ranking. Washington Commanders Deebo Samuel was a first-team All-Pro receiver back in 2021, but that feels like a lifetime ago. He's missed chunks of time in the past three seasons (he was also hurt for most of 2020) and the 49ers practically gave him away in a trade, recouping just a fifth-round pick from Washington. I still expect Terry McLaurin to be the featured target here — the contract stuff should work itself out — and I'm not betting on Samuel onboarding quickly to his new team. Although Samuel's ADP has slipped just outside the Yahoo Top 100, I still can't view him as a proactive pick. Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley's season has 'outlier' stamped all over it, with 15 touchdowns coming from an astounding average of 29.4 yards. The Eagles didn't give Barkley a single touchdown from the 1-yard line — that's Jalen Hurts' territory — and Barkley remarkably kept hitting those glorious home runs. But 5.8 YPCs are always poor bets to repeat (De'Von Achane waves hello) and Barkley might have trouble staying healthy after handling a ridiculous 482 touches last season. Pricing in some regression is the prudent play; let's not forget that Barkley missed multiple games in each of the five seasons preceding his move to Philadelphia. NFC North Chicago Bears The market has been cool to Colston Loveland so far, and I think that's the right call. Although Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers both had dynamic rookie years in the past two seasons, it's likely a mistake to apply their success to the Chicago situation. Consider that Loveland steps into a crowded situation for pass catchers (the Bears have a slew of good wideouts and even a respectable other tight end in Cole Kmet). And we still need some proof that Caleb Williams can play in this league — he had a horrible sack problem last year, and generally sack problems are mostly about the quarterback, not other things. Even if I wind up drafting two tight ends on some roster builds, Loveland is not a player I'm targeting. Green Bay Packers There is always talent in the Green Bay receiver room. But do the Packers want to lean into a featured receiver? That hasn't been the case in recent years. No Green Bay pass-catcher has gone past 100 targets since Davante Adams left town. Until I see usage changes from Matt LaFleur — a play-designer I do respect, by the way — I can't draft any of these wideouts proactively, though I don't mind the current market price on splash-play tight end Tucker Kraft. Minnesota Vikings Obviously J.J. McCarthy is all over this preview; let me quickly add that I expect him to beat his global ADP of QB20. I'd follow Kevin O'Connell into a burning building, and Minnesota's pass-catching rooms are brimming with talent. Another value target is Jordan Mason, the new backup running back. Mason is about five years younger than Aaron Jones, and is 15 pounds heavier. It's possible Mason could become this team's short-yardage specialist, and Mason looked like a potential feature back during his time in San Francisco (5.3 YPC). The depth chart is thin after Jones and Mason — the Vikings probably envision Mason holding a notable role no matter what becomes of Jones. Mason isn't cheap (his Yahoo ADP is just outside the Top 100) but he's still a proactive pick for me. Detroit Lions The market gets nervous when someone like Ben Johnson leaves Detroit, but Jared Goff is a tenured quarterback in Detroit — he's essentially a coordinator for this offensive unit. Goff isn't going to forget what's worked with Amon-Ra St. Brown the last four years. The Sun God lost some volume last year but made it for it with a spike in his touchdown rate. But even if he regresses to the 2022 touchdown rate, we're still talking about a player with a very high floor. I have no problem paying the sticker on St. Brown, which is somewhere in the 9-12 range in most Yahoo leagues.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Bryce Young Walks Mom Down Aisle During Parents' 30th Anniversary Renewal
It doesn't happen often that you spot an NFL quarterback swap out his helmet for a boutonniere, but that's what Bryce Young did this July. And it was not just for a red carpet or commercial shoot. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Nope, this was all about the heart. The Carolina Panthers' franchise QB melted hearts around the internet. It was when he walked his mom, Julie Young, down the aisle at his parents' 30th wedding anniversary vow renewal. If you have only seen his pocket presence, wait until you experience his presence as a son. Bryce Young's mom is celebrating her marriage The lovely ceremony celebrated three decades of Craig and Julie Young's love; they got married in July 1995. Although the ceremony site has not been disclosed publicly, bits from the vow renewal appeared on TikTok and X (previously Twitter). That's where fans adored Bryce's thoughtful act. Dressed in a crisp suit, the ex-Heisman Trophy winner was beaming and tearful as he led his mother, setting the tone for a family scene that went viral in a matter of seconds. Julie, a 25-year special education teacher, has long been one of Bryce's biggest supporters. Intriguingly, she never informed her son that she was a college star soccer player until much later in life. "That's just the kind of person she is," Bryce once remarked, humble, dedicated, and never seeking that type of attention. Craig, Bryce's father, is a therapist for mental health who has been every bit as influential in forming the quarterback's down-to-earth, reflective way of living. He once stated that he and Julie made a concerted effort to have Bryce grow up in a household where love was not contingent upon success, victories, or awards but where character was paramount. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now No surprise that Bryce has always presented himself as collected and wiser than his age. This was not only a vow renewal but also a circle moment. From the Pasadena home where they instilled values in them to the big stage of the NFL, Bryce decided to pay tribute to the two individuals who laid the foundation for him. For Bryce Young, leadership doesn't end when the clock expires. Sometimes, it's about being there for your people in the most raw, human manner conceivable. Also read:
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Panthers observations: Rookie WR gets tested and continues evolving, Dabo visits
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers' first day in pads began with a Dabo Swinney sighting and ended with the first fight of camp. In between, there were impressive displays of touch passing by Bryce Young, route running by Hunter Renfrow and ball tracking by Tetairoa McMillan. The Panthers packed a lot into an hour and 45 minutes, and we'll get to all the particulars. Advertisement But speaking broadly, it was a good day for Young and the offense, which was on point after a couple of so-so showings in shorts and helmets during the first week of camp. 'We want to win every day just like the defense wants to win every day. Yeah, I think we had a better day today,' Young said after Monday's practice. 'They had some better days earlier on in camp. It's camp. It's back and forth.' It was enough to impress Swinney, the Clemson coach who spent his last day before the start of Tigers' camp watching Renfrow, the former Clemson standout who missed all of last season while dealing with ulcerative colitis. 'They've got a good core,' Swinney said of the Panthers. 'This is a good group and the way Bryce finished last year is exciting. They've got a lot to be excited about here.' Time to dive into some of the more exciting plays and developments from Monday: Some teams used to start the first full-padded practice with the Oklahoma drill before the NFL banned the high-intensity, big-contact exercise six years ago. So the first meaningful mano-a-mano moment for the Panthers arrived with one-on-one drills, with receivers paired against cornerbacks and nickelbacks. One of the first matchups was veteran corner Mike Jackson against McMillan, the No. 8 pick from Arizona. One of the questions about McMillan was how the slender, 6-5 wideout would handle press coverage from a physical corner like Jackson. And when Jackson got his hands on McMillan on their first rep, both McMillan and the ball ended up on the ground. Jackson has matched up with McMillan a lot early in camp. Panthers coach Dave Canales said that's not by accident. 'Mike wants to go good on good all the time. I love that. The thing I tell the guys is we make us, and the guy across from you will determine how far you go and your readiness for games,' Canales said. 'I love the competitive nature of Mike. He's like, 'I'm going against him. I want to battle against this guy. I want to work on my game.' ' A couple minutes later, Jackson again lined up opposite McMillan, who got a free outside release on a go route down the sideline. Jackson was right on his hip and swiped at McMillan's hands just as Young's perfectly placed pass arrived. Looking over his shoulder, McMillan secured the ball with a nice hands catch while going to the ground on what was the play of the day. Advertisement 'That was a great job of him going and tracking the ball,' Young said. 'It was great coverage, and that's the league. There's gonna be a lot of great corners out there. It's a lot of contested catches. It was a great job by T-Mac of understanding leverage, fighting pressure with pressure, fading off at the last moment.' Canales was pleased to see McMillan's response after the first matchup. 'The D-backs are challenging him every single time. And he's inviting that,' he said. 'Tough one-on-one rep to start, comes back and catches the deep go ball. To see him just stay even, processing what happened and just continuing to evolve each practice has been really cool.' Great hands catch by Tetairoa McMillan on a Bryce Young throw. Pretty good coverage by Mike Jackson. — Joe Person (@josephperson) July 28, 2025 Renfrow also looked good during one-on-ones, putting nickel Chau Smith-Wade in a blender with a stop-and-start route that forced Smith-Wade to hold Renfrow, who still made the catch. Renfrow won with a similar route on his first rep, a performance that didn't surprise Swinney. 'There's route runners and then there's craftsmen, and he's a craftsman,' Swinney said. Swinney said Renfrow understands leverage, knows how to set receivers up and has elite change of direction. 'I know he doesn't look the part,' Swinney said of the 5-10, 185-pounder. 'But (when) he puts a helmet on he turns into Superman.' When a reporter later told Young what Swinney said about Renfrow looking like a normal guy before putting the pads on, Young didn't miss a beat. 'I don't think I'm at liberty to say what a normal person looks like,' the 5-foot-10 quarterback deadpanned, drawing laughs from media members. Young usually plays things pretty straight with the media. But it was good to see him let his guard down and deliver the line of the day. Normal guy. — Joe Person (@josephperson) July 28, 2025 New punter Sam Martin was at practice after missing the first three days with a hamstring issue. But equipment personnel still used the JUGS machine to mimic punts during a special teams period. More interesting is that Renfrow joined Raheem Blackshear deep to field punts for the first time during camp. Advertisement Renfrow and David Moore, another veteran, look to be competing for the last one or two receiving spots on the roster. Moore was the 'safe' returner last season when the Panthers just needed a sure-handed player to catch a punt cleanly. Renfrow had extensive return experience with the Raiders, averaging 9.7 yards on 70 career punt returns. 'He's been a punt returner in his past. He's got a great feel for it,' Canales said. 'So like, what more can he do?' It was hot again Monday in Charlotte, with highs in the 90s. But the temperatures didn't cause tempers to flare. Instead, it was linebacker Trevin Wallace's hit on Chuba Hubbard that raised the running back's ire. When Young shot a swing pass to Hubbard late in team period, Wallace arrived with the ball, collided with Hubbard and knocked him to the ground. Hubbard rushed to his feet and swung at Wallace, appearing to connect with his facemask. Cornerback Jaycee Horn steered Wallace away from the scrum and there were no additional scrums. Having had time to cool off after his usual, post-practice hands work, Hubbard said he had no hard feelings toward Wallace. 'Football's all about emotions. Obviously, I got hit, reacted a certain way. But he's playing hard and I can't be mad about that,' Hubbard said. Canales, who wants his team to be more physical this year, wasn't mad about it, either. 'We've gotta toe the line. We've gotta play physical. And a lot of times it's not personal, it's just football,' he said. 'Guys will respond passionately. They don't like getting knocked on their butt. They take it personal. But there was a lot of physical play throughout practice, so that's gonna happen.' Chuba Hubbard on the Trevin Wallace play: 'Football is all about emotion.' — Joe Person (@josephperson) July 28, 2025 • The kicking competition couldn't be more even — at least statistically — through four practices. When rookie Ryan Fitzgerald went 3-for-5 on the skinny goal posts, it meant that he and Matthew Wright were both 7-for-10 on field goals during camp. • Ja'Tavion Sanders, the No. 1 tight end with Tommy Tremble out, was shaken up late in practice but appeared to be OK. Sanders was yet another offensive playmaker who had a strong day. 'The last couple of days didn't get a lot of targets, but he's winning,' Canales said. 'He looks fast, looks explosive.' (Photo of Tetairoa McMillian: Scott Kinser / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH: Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan makes spectacular catch on pass from QB Bryce Young
Carolina Panthers wideout Tetairoa McMillan made a statement to begin the second week of training camp. After starting cornerback Mike Jackson got the better of him on Saturday, McMillan broke out the tools that made him 2025's eighth overall pick this morning. The rookie receiver, in the first padded practice of the summer, tracked down a deep ball from quarterback Bryce Young and made a spectacular catch against the veteran defender. Take a look . . . Head coach Dave Canales talked about the grab after the session, and was asked if McMillan's speed is shining through. "He plays fast," Canales replied. "That was kinda going back to his film from Arizona. His play speed is what you look at. And yes, we take into consideration what the 40 time looks like. He ran a 4.5. He's fast. But he's a tall guy. And a lot of times, those guys, their stride builds up as they get going—in particular when he's running across the field. He can pretty much separate and run away from anybody, regardless of what the 40 time says." Young also commented on McMillan's sparkling reception. "Yeah, that was a great job of him going and tracking the ball," Young told reporters. "It was great coverage, and that's the league. It's gonna be a lot of great corners out there, a lot of contested catches. It was a great job by T-Mac understanding leverage, fighting pressure with pressure, fading out at the last moment." McMillan is projected to be the No. 1 target for Young and the Panthers offense this season. The 2024 consensus All-American amassed 3,423 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns over his three years at the University of article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers training camp: Tetairoa McMillan makes insane catch on Monday
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Panthers 2025 training camp tracker: Top takeaways and observations from Day 5
The Carolina Panthers, for the first time this summer, have thrown on the pads. Here are the top takeaways and observations from Monday's (partially heated) outing of training camp . . . Activated Before the start of practice, the Panthers officially activated defensive lineman Bobby Brown III and punter Sam Martin from the active/non-football injury list. Both Brown and Martin were dealing with minor hamstring injuries. They are now cleared to return to the field. T-Mac hits back Rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan was bested by starting cornerback Mike Jackson during one-on-one drills at Saturday's session. But the eighth overall pick got his lick back on the veteran this morning . . . Head coach Dave Canales talked about McMillan's breakaway speed. "He plays fast," Canales told reporters. "That was kinda going back to his film from Arizona. His play speed is what you look at. And yes, we take into consideration what the 40 time looks like. He ran a 4.5. He's fast. But he's a tall guy. And a lot of times, those guys, their stride builds up as they get going—in particular when he's running across the field. He can pretty much separate and run away from anybody, regardless of what the 40 time says." Quarterback Bryce Young then talked about McMillan's spectacular catch. "Yeah, that was a great job of him going and tracking the ball," Young stated. "It was great coverage, and that's the league. It's gonna be a lot of great corners out there, a lot of contested catches. It was a great job by T-Mac understanding leverage, fighting pressure with pressure, fading out at the last moment." McMillan also notched a few more impressive grabs, putting a stamp on what was his best showing of the summer. Still hunting McMillan wasn't the only receiver who shined on Monday. Veteran Hunter Renfrow also turned heads, continuing his standout offseason with another strong day. Renfrow, however, knows his journey to the initial 53-man roster is far from over. The former Pro Bowler praised his fellow wideouts. "We have a bunch of different personalities, bunch of different ages. But amazing," he said. "I think we have a really good group, I think we have a really talented group. It's the deepest I've ever been around. We have seven or eight guys that can comfortably go out there and play and a lot of young guys that are proving they can. "And so, it just pushes you. It pushes you every day. I think the Bible talks about iron sharpening iron—and that's what it is. And hopefully, we can do that every day and then the other people we have out there can see that and be inspired from that and make every day the best we can." Canales, who lauded Renfrow for his work again on Monday, did not rule out using the 29-year-old as a returner moving forward. Top observationsThis article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers 2025 training camp tracker: Top takeaways from Day 5
