Sanders signed with the Panthers this offseason, and he's expected to be the lead running back in Carolina. Sanders is worth drafting as a No. 2 running back in all leagues as early as Round 4. Sanders is coming off a solid season in Philadelphia where he averaged 12.7 PPR points per game. He set career highs in carries (259), rushing yards (1,269) and rushing touchdowns (11), but he had career lows in targets (26), receptions (20) and receiving yards (78). With the Panthers, Sanders should be a three-down back, and the system and offensive line in Carolina should be favorable. However, the offense could struggle for the Panthers with rookie quarterback Bryce Young. If Sanders can see an uptick in the passing game -- he had at least 50 receptions in his rookie year in 2019 -- then he could emerge as a top-15 running back in all leagues, especially if he stays above 250 carries once again.
Sanders (pectoral) isn't listed on the final injury report for Sunday's game in Seattle, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Sanders upgraded to full practice participation Friday after limited showings the previous two days. He'll continue to lead the Carolina backfield, though Chuba Hubbard also has been heavily involved with 18 touches for 119 yards from scrimmage through two games.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Remains limited in practice
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Sanders (pectoral) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Sanders' reps were capped for the second day in a row while he continues to nurse a pectoral injury that he may have picked up in Monday's 20-17 loss to the Saints. The running back should still be in good shape to play this weekend in Seattle if he continues to practice in some capacity Friday, though he could end up carrying a designation into Sunday. If Sanders ultimately gets the green light to play, he will likely be taking handoffs from a new quarterback in Andy Dalton, who is expected to start Week 3 with Bryce Young (ankle) considered unlikely to play.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Bust Candidate (Lineup Decisions)
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There are too many things that can go right for Sanders -- he could score, he should continue to see a good amount of work, and he could be dangerous if the Seahawks miss a tackle against him. That should keep him in lineups, but Chuba Hubbard seeing game action when the Panthers were trailing in the fourth quarter is troubling, as is the Panthers offense as a whole with Bryce Young struggling to quickly adapt to the pro game. I'd still use him over Javonte Williams, Dameon Pierce and Najee Harris, but I'd chance it with D'Andre Swift, Brian Robinson and Jerome Ford over Sanders.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: RBs to Start
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It hasn't been a smooth start to the season for Sanders with his new team in Carolina. He had a quality stat line in Week 1 at Atlanta with 98 total yards on 22 touches (four catches), but he lost a fumble. Then he was limited to just 47 total yards on 17 touches (three catches) in Week 2 against New Orleans. I expect him to have a rebound game in Week 3 at Seattle, and the Seahawks have already allowed three running backs to score at least 12.6 PPR points this season, with four rushing touchdowns. As long as the Panthers can remain competitive in this game, Sanders should get around 20 total touches and have the chance to post positive production in this matchup.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Limited Wednesday
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Sanders was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to a pectoral injury.
Sanders likely picked up the injury during Monday's loss to the Saints, but it's at least encouraging that he was on the field as a limited participant two days later. The Panthers hosted a walk-through practice Wednesday, however, so Sanders' activity at Thursday's practice will probably be more telling with regard to his chances of suiting up Sunday versus the Seahawks. Backup Chuba Hubbard would benefit from increased touches if Sanders is hampered at all.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Modest production on 17 touches
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Sanders rushed 14 times for 43 yards and caught three of five targets for four yards in Monday's 20-17 loss to the Saints.
Sanders picked up 13 yards on his first carry but mustered just 34 yards from scrimmage on 16 subsequent touches. Backup Chuba Hubbard had only two carries and five catches but produced 50 total yards. Sanders has 39 touches to Hubbard's 18 through two weeks, but Sanders' 145-119 edge in yardage is much smaller. If Sanders' pedestrian efficiency persists, he could start to cede more volume to Hubbard, but Sanders is still the clear lead back heading into an intriguing Week 3 matchup against a Seattle defense that's allowing 30.5 points per game.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Impresses in Panthers debut
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Sanders rushed 18 times for 72 yards and brought in four of six targets for 26 yards in the Panthers' 24-10 loss to the Falcons on Sunday.
Sanders doubled up backfield mate Chuba Hubbard in carries and demonstrated he was past his preseason groin injury, checking in as the Panthers' second-leading receiver along the way. The offseason addition and his fantasy managers are hoping he'll have more reliable week-to-week usage than was sometimes the case in Philadelphia, and early returns are certainly promising on that front. Sanders should continue to see reliable volume, albeit in a tough matchup, when the Panthers face off with the Saints at home in an NFC South clash Monday night, Sept. 18.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Top DFS Play
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Sanders' pricing this week doesn't make any sense at all to me. He's priced behind a dozen backs who I have ranked below him. I expect 20-plus touches, 100-plus total yards, and at least one touchdown in his Panthers debut. He has top-five upside at a low-end RB2 price.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Puts groin injury behind him
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Sanders (groin) wasn't listed on the Panthers' first Week 1 injury report released Wednesday.
Sanders tweaked his groin during an Aug. 9 practice, and despite getting back in full pads by Aug. 21, Carolina held him out for the entire preseason. On Tuesday, Sanders told David Newton of ESPN.com that his intention was to be available Week 1 in Atlanta, and his full participation in practice a day later confirms as much. Now that Sanders' health is no longer a question mark, he's slated to be the Panthers' lead back in 2023, with Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear on hand as depth options.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Fully confident for Week 1
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Sanders (groin) said Tuesday he "absolutely" will be available Week 1 versus the Falcons, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Sanders returned to practice in full pads Monday, which provides further confidence in his Week 1 availability. The Panthers have said all along that Sanders, who suffered a groin injury Aug. 10, could be sidelined the remainder of the preseason but would be back for the regular season. As such, Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear will likely be left to man the backfield again for Friday's exhibition finale against the Lions, but fantasy managers can expect Sanders will be back on the field for Carolina's season opener.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Back in full pads
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Sanders (groin) is practicing Monday in full pads, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Sanders hasn't practiced since Aug. 10 due to a lingering groin injury, so to see him back on the field Monday represents a significant step in the right direction. The Panthers still may opt for caution and hold Sanders out of Friday's preseason finale against the Lions, given his importance as a likely three-down option out of the backfield, depending on his immediate practice workload. Still, even if Sanders has to gradually ramp back up, this is cause for increased confidence that he's on track for Week 1's divisional matchup against the Falcons.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Out vs. Giants, maybe until Week 1
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Head coach Frank Reich said Wednesday that Sanders (groin) won't suit up for Friday's exhibition against the Giants and may miss the rest of the preseason, Augusta Stone of the Panthers' official site reports.
Reich said Sanders' injury is "getting better," per David Newton of ESPN.com, but it will nonetheless be a significant red flag if the starting running back isn't able to suit up for any more preseason action. The Panthers may simply be taking a cautious approach to Sanders' health, which would be warranted with only the likes of Chuba Hubbard, Raheem Blackshear, Spencer Brown and Camerun Peoples behind him on the depth chart. Regardless, Sanders' status will warrant close monitoring by fantasy managers. Sanders hasn't practiced since suffering a groin injury last Wednesday.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Still not practicing
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Sanders (groin) is not participating in Monday's practice, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Sanders, who suffered a groin injury at practice last Wednesday, looks like a strong candidate to miss his second straight preseason contest when Friday's road game against the Giants rolls around. That would make Aug. 25's game against the Lions as his final chance to suit up for exhibition reps prior to Week 1. In the meantime, Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear will continue to handle valuable first-team reps.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Won't play Saturday
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Sanders (groin) won't play in Saturday's preseason opener against the Jets, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
This was expected, as coach Frank Reich said Thursday that Sanders was unlikely to play Saturday after tweaking his groin in practice. The rest of the Panthers' offensive starters are expected to play, including Bryce Young. In Sanders' absence, Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear should see valuable snaps with the first-team offense. Sanders' next chance to see game action will arrive Friday in an exhibition versus the Giants.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Dealing with groin injury
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Coach Frank Reich said Thursday that Sanders suffered "a little bit of a tweak in his groin" at practice Wednesday and is unlikely to suit up for Saturday's preseason game against the Jets, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.
Sanders' injury appears minor at this stage, but it will be worth monitoring his health. Carolina's coaching staff has talked up the veteran back as a true three-down option on offense, so if healthy he looks to be facing a tantalizing workload to ease the burden of rookie quarterback Bryce Young. With Sanders expected to miss Saturday's preseason game, Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear could both have opportunities to work with the first-team offense.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Viewed as three-down back
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Speaking Monday, Panthers coach Frank Reich said he views Sanders as a three-down back, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer.
Sanders' four-year, $25.4 million deal with Carolina made him the NFL's 12th-highest-paid running back, and the Panthers apparently have big plans for their new playmaker. In Indianapolis, Reich had Jonathan Taylor, who was featured as an every-down workhorse. And Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown had Cam Akers, whom the Rams rode hard for different stretches in recent years. Sanders only saw 26 targets as an early-down back in Philadelphia last season, but it sounds like that number could grow in Carolina. As a result, he could be an attractive fantasy RB2 likely playing in an offense with a rookie quarterback for much of the 2023 season.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Taking talents to Carolina
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The Panthers and Sanders agreed to terms on a contract Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
After dealing Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers last season, the Panthers went with D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard out of the backfield for the second half of the campaign. Foreman wasn't retained in free agency, so the addition of Sanders indicates that he'll be Carolina's lead runner in 2023. On a team with sparse skill-position talent, Sanders arrives following the first 1,000-yard season of his career, boasting a YPC a shade over 5.0. Additionally, he hauled in 70.9 percent of his 175 targets for 7.6 yards per catch in 57 appearances since the Eagles took him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
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Eagles' Miles Sanders: Diminished role against Chiefs
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Sanders recorded seven carries for 16 yards in Sunday's 38-35 Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. He failed to catch his only target.
Sanders left the game early in the first quarter and was spotted jogging back to the locker room. He returned after missing only one series but wasn't effective. In addition to being inefficient on the ground, he dropped his only target, which nearly resulted in a touchdown for the Chiefs. Sanders now will hit free agency, so his ultimate landing spot and potential workload remain unclear for 2023.
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Eagles' Miles Sanders: Finds end zone twice against Niners
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Sanders carried the ball 11 times for 42 yards and two touchdowns and caught his only target for three yards in Sunday's 31-7 win over the 49ers.
San Francisco's offense fell apart after Brock Purdy (elbow) got hurt, leading to a fairly easy win for Philly and a ground-heavy attack fueled by Sanders TDs in the first and second quarters. Kenneth Gainwell actually ended up leading the Eagles in rushing yards, but he saw most of his touches once the game was out of reach. The scores were Sanders' first since Week 14, and he figures to be a key part of the team's game plan Sunday, Feb. 12 in the Super Bowl.
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Eagles' Miles Sanders: Efficient in divisional-round win
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Sanders rushed 17 times for 90 yards in the Eagles' 38-7 divisional-round win over the Giants on Saturday night.
Sanders started ripping off solid gains beginning on the Eagles' second possession, and he ultimately got some rest in the fourth quarter with Philadelphia comfortably ahead. Sanders' lack of a pass-catching role and his minimal red-zone opportunities do make him a bit of a fantasy wild card, but even with the success of backfield mates Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott on Saturday night, Sanders should still retain a lead role for a conference championship clash versus the Cowboys or 49ers a week from Sunday.
