Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Limited to special teams Sunday
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Sanders recorded zero targets during Sunday's 26-21 loss to the Broncos.
Sanders was active for the first time this season. However, he didn't log any offensive snaps and spent all his time on special teams. The 23-year-old has appeared in 30 regular-season games during his career, amassing 62 catches (77 targets) for 532 yards and two touchdowns. Sanders has had a few quality performances throughout his short NFL career, though he likely won't have an opportunity to get involved offensively moving ahead while Tommy Tremble and Darren Waller are in the mix.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Active for first time this season
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Sanders is listed as active for Sunday's matchup against the Broncos, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Sanders is active for the first time this season. He will likely act as a depth piece behind the team's usual starters, Tommy Tremble and Darren Waller, but should he get playing time, he could emerge as a trade candidate at the league's trade deadline Tuesday, Nov. 10.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Remains inactive for TNF
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Sanders (coach's decision) is inactive for Thursday night's matchup with Green Bay, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports.
Sanders will be a healthy scratch for the sixth game in a row to open the regular season. Tommy Tremble and Darren Waller will operate as the team's primary options at tight end versus the Packers.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Healthy scratch for Week 6
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Sanders (coach's decision) is inactive against the Eagles on Sunday, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Sanders, a fourth-round selection of the Panthers in the 2024 NFL Draft, has been a healthy scratch in every single regular-season game so far in 2026. His next chance to play is Week 7 against the Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 25, but it's hard to see Sanders suiting up for that contest unless a Panthers tight end is unavailable.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Not available for Week 3
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Sanders (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Browns, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
A fourth-round selection of the Panthers in the 2024 NFL Draft, Sanders will be a healthy scratch for each of the first three games of the 2026 regular season. There doesn't appear to be a clear path to playing time for the Texas product, unless at least one of Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, Darren Waller or Feleipe Franks were to be unavailable. Sanders' next opportunity to suit up is Week 4 against the Lions on Sunday, Oct. 4.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Inactive for Week 1
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Sanders (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Bears, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Sanders, a fourth-round selection of the Panthers in the 2024 NFL Draft, will be a healthy scratch for Week 1 while Carolina rolls with Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, Darren Waller and Feleipe Franks as the active tight ends for Sunday's regular-season opener. Sanders' next chance to suit up is Week 2 against the Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 20, though he may not be active for a game unless there's an injury to a tight end ahead of him on the depth chart.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Three catches in preseason opener
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Sanders (ankle) brought in all three targets for 13 yards in the Panthers' 33-30 preseason win over the Cardinals on Thursday.
Sanders started the game and recorded his first two receptions on the Panthers' first pair of plays from scrimmage. The 2024 fourth-round pick has been solid in a rotational role over his first two seasons, posting a combined 62-532-2 line on 77 targets over 29 regular-season games. Looking ahead to the 2026 season, Sanders has a chance to overtake Tommy Tremble for the No. 1 tight-end role, although it's possible head coach Dave Canales opts to continue utilizing both players in a 1A-1B type of arrangement again.
Sanders exited Tuesday's practice with an ankle injury, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
The injuries continue to pile up for Carolina, though there hasn't been any indication Sanders is dealing with a long-term problem. Sanders has appeared in 29 regular-season contests across his first two campaigns and has produced 62 catches for 532 yards and two touchdowns on 77 targets. He's again expected to see snaps in the Panthers' three-man tight end committee that also involves Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Looking healthy at OTAs
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Sanders (fibula) is participating in practice at OTAs on Wednesday, Alex Zietlow of The Charlette Observer reports.
Sanders is running and cutting laterally without issue at OTAs, and it appears he's officially back to full health after having undergone surgery to address a broken right fibula suffered last December. He and Tommy Tremble remain positioned as the Panthers' top options at the tight end position, with Sanders potentially being the favorite for more pass-catching utilization. Across 13 regular-season appearances in 2025, Sanders secured 29 of 34 targets for 190 yards and one score.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Ruled out of Sunday's game
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Sanders (ankle) won't return to Sunday's game versus the Seahawks, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Sanders had his lower right leg rolled up on by RB Rico Dowdle on the Panthers' first play from scrimmage Sunday. The second-year tight end needed help getting to the sideline and then was carted to the locker room before he was ruled out. Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans will take on TE duties for the Panthers for the rest of Week 17.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Snags TD in Week 16 win
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Sanders caught both of his targets for nine yards and one touchdown in Carolina's 23-20 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Sanders' six-yard touchdown in the third quarter gave the Panthers a 20-17 lead. The tight end has produced fewer than 20 receiving yards in eight of his 12 appearances this season and offers little fantasy value headed into next Sunday's game against the Seahawks.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Blanks in Week 13
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Sanders was not targeted during Sunday's 31-28 win over the Rams.
The second-year pro from Texas has served as Carolina's top receiving tight end throughout the season, catching 25 of 30 targets for 176 yards across 10 appearances. However, he's been targeted just once over the Panthers' last two games, indicating that his role may be shrinking as the season progresses. Carolina is on bye in Week 14, but Sanders will likely carry minimal fantasy value in the Week 15 matchup against the Saints.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Practices without limits Thursday
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Sanders (ankle) was a full participant in practice Thursday.
Sanders has been ramping up his participation in practice, and Thursday's full session puts him on track to return from a three-game absence Sunday against the Jets. Sanders could jump right back into a prominent role in a favorable matchup against a Jets defense that has allowed a league-high six touchdowns to tight ends this season.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Inactive again in Week 6
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Sanders (ankle) is listed as inactive Sunday against the Cowboys, Darrin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Sanders thus will miss a third straight game due to a high right-ankle sprain that he suffered Week 3 versus the Falcons. On a positive note, he followed an LP/DNP/LP practice regimen during Week 6 prep, so he appears to be closing in on a return to action. TEs Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans and even James Mitchell will continue to play increased roles in the Panthers offense Sunday.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Appears set for another absence
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Sanders (ankle), who is officially questionable for Sunday's Week 6 tilt versus Dallas, is not likely to play, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Sanders suffered a high-ankle sprain against Atlanta in Week 3. He missed Carolina's subsequent two games and appears in line for a third straight absence this Sunday. Sanders did manage to practice in full Thursday this week, but he was limited again Friday and entered the weekend deemed questionable to return to action. If he indeed sits out against the Cowboys, Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans would again be in line to lead the Panthers' tight-end corps.
Sanders (ankle) was limited in practice Wednesday.
This marks Sanders' first on-field activity since he sustained a high right-ankle sprain Week 3 against the Falcons. He may need to practice fully by Friday in order to enter the weekend without a designation for Sunday's game versus the Cowboys. In three games this season, Sanders has hauled in 11 of 14 targets for 92 yards and no touchdowns.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Won't play Sunday
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Sanders (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Dolphins, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
With Sanders set to miss his second straight game, Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans will lead the team's TE corps this weekend, with Mitchell Evans in reserve. In Carolina's Week 4 loss to the Patriots, Tremble caught five of his eight targets for 42 yards and a touchdown, while Evans caught three of his four targets for 23 yards and a touchdown. Sanders' next chance to see game action will arrive Sunday, Oct. 12 against the Cowboys.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Remains sidelined at practice
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Sanders (ankle) was a non-participant at Wednesday's walkthrough.
Sanders hasn't been able to take part in drills since he suffered a high right-ankle sprain during a Week 3 win against the Falcons. Until he gets back on the practice field, he's unlikely to be a consideration for game days, leaving Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans and even James Mitchell to man tight end for the Panthers in the interim.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Ruled out this week
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Sanders (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game at New England.
It's a mere technicality, with Sanders a candidate to miss multiple games after suffering a high-ankle sprain Week 3. The Panthers are left with Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans and James Mitchell as their top tight ends, making Tremble a clear favorite to start even if he's unlikely to see more than a few targets.
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Panthers' Ja'Tavion Sanders: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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The Falcons have allowed the fewest Fantasy points to tight ends so far this season with one catch for 12 yards on six targets, but they've faced Cade Otton and T.J. Hockenson. Not that Sanders is an established star, but he's coming off a big game in Week 2 at Arizona with seven catches for 54 yards on nine targets. Hopefully he can carry that momentum into Week 3, and Sanders is worth starting in deeper leagues as a streamer.
