Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Wednesday that Young will start Sunday against the Saints, despite Andy Dalton (thumb) returning to practice as a full participant, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Young threw his first touchdowns of the season during Carolina's 28-14 loss to the Broncos in Week 8, finishing the game with 24 completions on 37 attempts for 224 yards and two interceptions. The Panthers' top wideout, Diontae Johnson (rib), was inactive for that contest and was then traded to the Ravens on Tuesday, but Carolina could get Adam Thielen (hamstring) back from injured reserve this weekend. Even with a lack of experienced pass-catching options at his disposal Week 8, Young showed some promise while working with undrafted free agent Jalen Coker (four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown) as well as rookie first-round pick Xavier Legette (four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown). According to David Newton of ESPN.com, Canales declined to name a starting quarterback for the rest of the season, but a strong showing against New Orleans could help fortify Young's standing atop the depth chart. The second-year signal-caller was benched after Carolina's Week 2 loss to the Chargers and served as the backup to Dalton for five straight games before Dalton's thumb injury paved the way for Young to start the Week 8 contest.