Carolina had a below-average Fantasy defense in 2025, and we do not expect that to change in 2026. We rank them outside the top 20 defenses and do not suggest drafting them. They open the season with Chicago, which makes them even less desirable on draft day. If they are good in Week 2 against Atlanta, then we may suggest streaming them in Week 3 at Cleveland. The hope is that Jaelan Phillips stays healthy and helps the pass rush, while second-round pick Lee Hunter helps the run defense. We will have to see it to believe it.
Fantasy News
Panthers' Corey Thornton: Participating in training camp
Rotowire
Thornton (fibula) participated in Carolina's training camp Wednesday, Zach Roberts of Sports Illustrated reports.
Thornton has fully recovered from a broken fibula that landed him on the team's injured reserve last November. The 2025 undrafted free agent will now spend the remainder of the offseason competing for a roster spot as a depth cornerback.
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Panthers' Jaycee Horn: Activated from NFI list
Rotowire
The Panthers activated Horn (foot) from the active/non-football injury list Tuesday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Horn was recovering from a cut on his foot and was never supposed to be sidelined for very long. The starting cornerback is back in action and ready to help the Panthers attempt to win back-to-back NFC South titles and earn a third consecutive Pro Bowl season.
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Panthers' Patrick Jones: Could see expanded role
Rotowire
Jones will likely see an expanded role in the Panthers' defense following the injury to Nic Scourton (knee), Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.
Jones is now the No. 1 weakside linebacker on the depth chart after Scourton went down for the season with an ACL tear during the first day of training camp. The 27-year-old Jones played in just four games for the team in 2025 before succumbing to a back injury, logging nine tackles (six solo) and one pass defensed during his early-season stint in the lineup. Training camp production and additional signings could change the team's plan, but as of now it looks like Jones will need to step up to help the Panthers try and defend the NFC South title in 2026.
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Panthers' Nic Scourton: Moved to IR
Rotowire
The Panthers placed Scourton (knee) on injured reserve Friday.
Scourton tore his ACL during the first practice of training camp, ending his 2026 season before it began. Cam Gill was added to the roster in the wake of Scourton's injury. The Panthers will also continue to monitor the edge-rusher market for additional help at the position.
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Panthers' Nic Scourton: Suffers ACL tear
Rotowire
Scourton (knee) suffered a torn ACL injury in practice Thursday and will miss the 2026 season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
The 2025 second-round linebacker had a productive rookie campaign, totaling 47 tackles (20 solo), including 5.0 sacks, across 17 regular-season games. With the starting pass rusher unable to help the Panthers defend the NFC South title, Patrick Jones, Princely Umanmielen and Trevis Gipson likely will be asked to step up and assist the defense throughout the 2026 season.
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Panthers' Nic Scourton: Injures knee in practice
Rotowire
Scourton was carted off the field with a right knee injury during Thursday's practice, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Coach Dave Canales confirmed after practice that Scourton will undergo further testing on the injured right knee, per Joe Person of The Athletic. A second-round pick last year, Scourton appeared in all 17 regular-season games as a rookie, making eight starts, and piled up 47 tackles (20 solo), including 5.0 sacks, on 68 percent of the defensive snaps. He's expected to play a more prominent role in his second season and is a defender Carolina can't afford to lose to a serious injury off the edge.
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Jaylon Guilbeau: Cut loose by Carolina
Rotowire
Guilbeau (undisclosed) was waived by the Panthers on Wednesday with a non-football injury designation, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Guilbeau was placed on the non-football injury list by Carolina on Tuesday, but he will now potentially hit the open market. If the cornerback goes unclaimed, he'll be eligible to pass a physical and join another team at training camp.
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Panthers' Bobby Brown: Starting camp on NFI list
Rotowire
Brown (undisclosed) will begin training camp on Carolina's active/non-football injury list, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.
It's not immediately clear what type of injury Brown is dealing with, and there's no concrete timetable for his return. In the meantime, rookie second-rounder Lee Hunter figures to get more looks with the first team on the interior of the defensive line.
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Panthers' Jaycee Horn: On track to return soon
Rotowire
General manager Dan Morgan said Wednesday that Horn (foot) is expected to come off the NFI list "in a matter of days," per the league's official site.
Horn started training camp on the Panthers' active/non-football injury list after suffering a cut on one of his feet, but it sounds like it won't keep him sidelined for too long. Carolina is likely just playing things safe with its top cornerback, who is coming off his second straight Pro Bowl season.
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Panthers' Tershawn Wharton: Starting camp on PUP list
Rotowire
Wharton (neck) will begin training camp on the Panthers' active/PUP list, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Wharton underwent a procedure on his neck in May, and he's still not ready to return to the practice field with training camp now underway. As long as he remains unavailable, LaBryan Ray will be a candidate to see more work with the first-team defensive line.
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Browns' Damarri Mathis: Signs with Browns
Rotowire
Cleveland signed Mathis (knee) to a contract Tuesday.
Mathis missed the entire 2025 season due to an ACL tear suffered last September, but he's now presumably back to full health. The 2022 second-round pick will now work to carve out a reserve role in the Browns' secondary.
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Panthers' Jaylon Guilbeau: Placed on NFI list
Rotowire
The Panthers placed Guilbeau (undisclosed) on the non-football injury list Tuesday.
Guilbeau will be eligible to come off the NFI list at any point during training camp once he's deemed healthy enough to practice. The undrafted rookie out of Texas will compete for a reserve role in Carolina's secondary.
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Panthers' Jaycee Horn: Headed to NFI list
Rotowire
The Panthers announced Tuesday that Horn (foot) will be placed on the non-football injury list this week in advance of training camp, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Horn is dealing with a recent foot laceration that required stitches, but he's expected to be cleared to retake the field early in camp. As long as the cornerback is sidelined, Akayleb Evans, Robert Rochell, Corey Thornton, Will Lee and Chau Smith-Wade could all benefit from increased reps.
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Steelers' Jacoby Windmon: Back with Steelers
Rotowire
Pittsburgh signed Windmon on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Winmon spent parts of the 2024 and 2025 seasons on the Steelers' practice squad, and he's back with the team ahead of training camp. He'll be vying for a depth spot in the front seven on Pittsburgh's 53-man roster in 2026.
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Panthers' Thomas Incoom: Undergoes shoulder surgery
Rotowire
Incoom underwent surgery on his shoulder Thursday, Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340 reports.
The nature of Incoom's operation isn't clear, so it remains to be seen what his recovery timeline looks like ahead of training camp next month. The 27-year-old linebacker appeared in all 17 regular-season contests last season, recording 17 tackles (nine solo) while seeing the vast majority of his playing time on special teams.
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Panthers' Tershawn Wharton: Out indefinitely
Rotowire
Wharton underwent neck surgery in early May and is out indefinitely, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Wharton signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Panthers last offseason, and he played just nine regular-season games in 2025, recording 36 tackles (11 solo), 2.0 sacks and a pass breakup. It's unclear if he'll miss any time, but LaBryan Ray would likely handle an increased workload if Wharton's injury lingers.
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Jacoby Windmon: Cut by Panthers
Rotowire
The Panthers waived Windmon on Thursday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Windmon played in nine games over two seasons with the Panthers, recording 22 tackles (13 solo), 1.5 sacks and two pass breakups. An undrafted free agent in 2024, Windmon will now seek a new destination, likely on a practice squad.
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Panthers' Jackson Kuwatch: Taken by Panthers
Rotowire
Carolina selected Kuwatch in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 227th overall.
Kuwatch transferred from Ohio State to Miami (Ohio) in 2023, but he didn't become a full-time starter on defense until his senior year in 2025, when he was named to the All-MAC Third-Team after logging 109 total tackles, including 5.0 sacks, and one pass defense across 14 games. Kuwatch served as the RedHawks' middle linebacker, and his experience on special teams during his five-year college career could help him earn a spot on the Panthers' 53-man roster for the 2026 season. He'll enter the offseason program and training camp competing for a depth spot at inside linebacker against the likes of Claudin Cherelus, Bam Martin-Scott and Isaiah Simmons.
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Panthers' Zakee Wheatley: Taken by Panthers
Rotowire
The Panthers selected Wheatley in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 151st overall.
Wheatley (6-foot-3, 203 pounds) started the final two seasons of his five years at Penn State, demonstrating the versatility and physicality to make up for his lack of high-end speed (4.62 40-yard dash). As a rookie, Wheatley and 2025 pick Lathan Ransom figure to operate as Carolina's top reserve options at safety behind Tre'von Moehrig and Nick Scott. Wheatley boasts the experience to contribute in a rotational role during his first pro season under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
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Panthers' Will Lee: Picked by Carolina
Rotowire
The Panthers selected Lee in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 129th overall.
Lee (6-foot-2, 189 pounds) is a bit light and might have below-average speed for a starting corner (4.52-second 40), but he has excellent reach for press coverage (32 and 3/4-inch arms) and stood out as starter for Texas A&M the last two years. Lee had to work his way up from Iowa Western Community College (2021-22) and Kansas State (2023) before that, holding serve with each jump in competition. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is one of the best defensive backs coaches in the league, so Lee landed in a good spot.
