The hottest player on the Carolina Panthers roster right now is third-year wide receiver Jalen Coker, and nobody else is even remotely close to catching up with him.
Coker is coming off a brilliant 2026 debut against the Chicago Bears, having posted a team-leading eight catches on nine targets, with a career-high 138 receiving yards and two touchdowns. That giant performance didn't come out of nowhere, either—as in last year's playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, he racked up nine catches, 134 yards and a touchdown.
It should come as no surprise that head coach Dave Canales and his staff are loving Coker going into Week 2, even though he's dealing with a minor ankle injury. ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, for fantasy purposes, recommends
playing him this week against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday:
Stick with Carolina wide receiver Jalen Coker (though maybe not this week). It would be silly to expect Coker to regularly break off 33-plus points like he did in Week 1, but he's clearly part of the Panthers' offensive fabric alongside wideout Tetairoa McMillan. Coker is a primary deep threat, and quarterback Bryce Young trusts him. Coker was a good value play before the Week 1 breakout. He is nursing an ankle sprain, which is something to consider for Week 2, but the Panthers' offense appears set for a jump, and Coker will be part of that. Carolina's coaches are very high on him.
While he hasn't officially ascended to No. 1 status, it's been clear for some time that Coker—of any pass catcher on the team—may have the best chemistry with Young. The Panthers did invest a top-10 overall pick in Tetairoa McMillan—but right now, it seems silly for anybody but Coker to lead Carolina in targets.
As for his status, Coker was a limited participant at Wednesday's practice. He and Canales, however, have indicated to reporters that suiting up for Atlanta this weekend shouldn't be an issue.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL insider shares promising intel on Panthers WR Jalen Coker
