The Carolina Panthers lost for the second time this season on Sunday, dropping their record to 1-2 as they embark on the toughest portion of their 2026 schedule. While the 21-18 defeat to the Cleveland Browns was a letdown, the Panthers still appear to have a much higher ceiling than they have in recent years.
Here's a review of where they stand in power rankings around the web going into Week 4 . . .
USA Today Sports
Rank: 21 (-2)
Author: Nate Davis
Take: Guess who's hosting a "Sunday Night Football" game for the first time since 2015? Guess whose last Super Bowl appearance was in 2015?
ESPN
Rank: 22 (-1)
Author: Mike Kaye
Take: Despite a somewhat underwhelming Week 3 performance, Young is averaging 313 passing yards and 2.3 passing touchdowns per game in 2026. That has
made him the QB4 in fantasy, behind Josh Allen, Brock Purdy and Tyler Shough. An impressive start considering Young was the QB18 in ADP. Young is up 1.5 yards per passing attempt from 2025 to 2026. While he is not rushing as much as he has in the past, he has one rushing TD on three carries this season.
CBS Sports
Rank: 26 (-6)
Author: Pete Prisco
Take: At 1-2, they have to be happy they are in a bad division. Losing to the Browns on the road is not a good look, and the injuries are piling up.
Sports Illustrated
Rank: 23 (-3)
Author: Connor Orr
Take: Amid a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South, with all teams currently resting at 1–2 (a very NFC South sentence), the Panthers are the only team with a positive point differential. This, despite giving up 59 points in the season opener. This has been your Carolina Panthers minute, and now a word from our sponsor.
The Athletic
Rank: 24 (-5)
Author: Josh Kendall, Chad Graff
Take: It feels like the Panthers and their fans want to stand by plucky Bryce Young, and he gave them good reason in weeks 1 and 2. Even after a dud Sunday, Young leads the league with 939 passing yards. He’s throwing the ball downfield more than at any point in his four-year career and is eighth in air yards per attempt (8.8). And he has thrown seven touchdowns versus just two interceptions despite being pressured at the highest rate in the league (47.7 percent).
Bleacher Report
Rank: 21 (-)
Author: Kristopher Knox
Take: Week 3 may have simply been a flukey performance on the road, or these Panthers may not be much different than last year's squad—a largely average team that only occasionally put together a complete performance. Carolina did win the NFC South in 2025, but it doesn't feel like 8-9 will be enough to take the division this year.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Where the Panthers stand in NFL power rankings going into Week 4
