Carolina Panthers

When the Carolina Panthers traded Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers last month, many expected the team's rushing attack to suffer.

However, five-year veteran D'Onta Foreman has developed into the workhorse Carolina needs, and he put forth another dominant performance in the team's 25-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football.

Foreman rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries to spearhead a Panthers team that totaled 232 yards on the ground. It was his third 100-yard rushing effort in his last four games. Receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. had a 41-yard touchdown run in the first half.

But the star of the night was Foreman. On a night where Carolina quarterback PJ Walker attempted just 15 passes, the 26-year-old was able to shoulder the offensive load and carry his team to victory.

Fans on social media were impressed with what they saw from Foreman on Thursday:

The best part of that touchdown was watching D'Onta Foreman become consumed by fans, jumping into the stands. Wild wild

— Augusta Stone (@augustalstone) November 11, 2022

Foreman is a tank.

— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) November 11, 2022

D'Onta Foreman has always been good

— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) November 11, 2022

So when does the D’Onta Foreman grill come out?

— Coach Bruce (@CoachBruce122) November 11, 2022

I'm not trying to start anything again, but it's still wild to me that the Panthers didn't see D'Onta Foreman in practice and say 'hey, let's use him a little more.'

— Jonathan M Alexander (@jonmalexander) November 11, 2022

Everyone who picked up D'Onta Foreman in fantasy this year pic.twitter.com/xTeAMeoCLl

— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) November 11, 2022

Might be time to raise him 😤@D33_foreman | #Madden23

pic.twitter.com/gZfQx0Ydfw

— Madden NFL 25 (@EAMaddenNFL) November 11, 2022

Panthers' D'Onta Foreman now has two 100-yard rushing efforts against the Falcons in 12 days.

— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) November 11, 2022

I guess D'onta Foreman likes playing against the Falcons. Another 100 yard effort out of him tonight! -AC

— CharlotteVibe (@charlottevibe) November 11, 2022

D’Onta Foreman has 227 rushing yards and four TDs in just over seven quarters against the Falcons this year.

— Bill Voth (@BillVothNFL) November 11, 2022

Rush yards over expectation per carry this season:

D'Onta Foreman, +0.8
Christian McCaffrey, +0.4

— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) November 11, 2022

D'Onta Foreman absorbing the essences of Derrick Henry and Barry Sanders before every Falcons game seems deeply unfair

— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) November 11, 2022

D’Onta Foreman really hates Atlanta and I love it.

— Panthers Culture 🥷🏽 (@PanthersCulture) November 11, 2022

D'Onta Foreman. Bruce Banner levels of angry,

— Will Palaszczuk (@WilliePStyle) November 11, 2022

Is Foreman the next DeAngelo Williams?

— Lauryn 🌙✨🧡🖤 (@LaurynnnG) November 11, 2022

D’onta modern day Chris Ivory

— Joe DaFrank from Rowayton (@SheliManning18) November 11, 2022

The Broncos should sign D’Onta Foreman this off-season

— ThatsGoodSports (@BrandonPerna) November 11, 2022

I knew D’Onta Foreman was good, but I didn’t know he was THIS good 😤

— Michael Bell (@avl_mike) November 11, 2022

https://twitter.com/NotTheRealChinn/status/1590907346166890497

Foreman got a trucking company? The story writes itself

— Pat Coletrain (@PatColetrain) November 11, 2022

A journeyman who has also played with the Falcons, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans, Foreman may have found himself a home in Carolina. He signed a one-year deal with the team in March, but the Panthers would be wise not to let him hit the open market, as he's shown the ability to be a lead back in any offense.

After improving to 3-7, the Panthers aren't expected to compete for a playoff spot this year. But allowing Foreman to be the focal point of the offensive game plan can lead the team to some success later in the season.

Carolina should continue to let Foreman cook when the team returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 10 against the Baltimore Ravens (6-3).

Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield "hasn't failed" in the eyes of offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.

Speaking with reporters Tuesday, McAdoo said Mayfield's struggles can be chalked up to injuries. The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner underwent shoulder surgery before joining the team and missed time this year because of a high ankle sprain.

McAdoo's explanation may not wash for some fans because Mayfield wasn't performing well before he went down with the ankle injury.

Through Carolina's first five games, he threw for 962 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions while completing just 54.9 percent of his passes.

Ironically, Mayfield's best performance so far came after he returned from the ankle sprain. With the Panthers down 35-0 to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9, he replaced P.J. Walker at halftime and went 14-of-20 for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

For obvious reasons, McAdoo doesn't want to throw one of his players under the bus, but it seems reasonable to conclude Mayfield hasn't worked out for Carolina.

A telling indicator is that NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Walker is expected to start Thursday's game against the Atlanta Falcons despite Mayfield having his monster second half.

Granted, the Panthers have a vested interest in keeping his snap count low.

If Baker Mayfield plays 70% of the snaps this year, the Panthers must send the Browns a 4th round pick in 2024. If he plays less than 70% of the snaps they will send the Browns a 5th round pick. So... https://t.co/Y3LhaoWpJm

— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) November 7, 2022

After firing head coach Matt Rhule and trading Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers, Carolina is in full rebuild mode. Keeping Mayfield on the bench and increasing its chances of only sending the Cleveland Browns a fifth-round pick is the smarter play.

Both the Panthers and Mayfield are effectively left to play out the string until he hits free agency in 2023.

PJ Walker is reportedly keeping his starting spot.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Walker will start on Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons after being replaced at halftime by Baker Mayfield during Sunday's 42-21 blowout loss against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It's been a turbulent season for the Panthers, with the firing of former head coach Matt Rhule, Robbie Anderson feuding with coaches and getting kicked off the sidelines in an October game before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals and the continued uncertainty at the quarterback position.

Mayfield opened the year as the starter, and it didn't go well, as the Panthers went 1-4 while the veteran quarterback threw four touchdowns, four interceptions and was sacked 15 times.

He suffered a high ankle sprain in a Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and that—paired with Rhule being fired and Steve Wilks being appointed interim head coach—opened the door for Walker to become the starter.

But Walker hasn't fared much better, leading the Panthers to a 1-3 record in his starts while throwing for 623 yards, three touchdowns and three picks.

He was poor enough in the first half of Sunday's loss, going 3-of-10 for nine yards and two interceptions, that Wilks went back to Mayfield in the second half.

"We couldn't get anything going offensively and we couldn't get off the field defensively," Wilks told reporters after the game. "That's on me."

PJ Walker admitted to "bone-headed mistakes."

Said it was "flat all around."

"This ain't us."

— Darin Gantt (@daringantt) November 6, 2022

So the Panthers have themselves a quarterback conundrum, compounded by the fact that Sam Darnold was activated from injured reserve on Monday. The issue is that neither Walker nor Mayfield has seized the job this year, and Darnold certainly didn't make the most of his opportunity in the 2021 campaign.

In other words, the Panthers have three options at the most important position on the roster, and none of them appear to be a very good one. For now, Walker holds onto the gig.

The Carolina Panthers have activated quarterback Sam Darnold to the 53-man roster, the team announced Monday.

With the regular season on the horizon, the 25-year-old was forced to go on injured reserve because of a high ankle sprain. He was eligible to return in Week 5, but once Week 5 rolled around, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported it was still "going to be a while" before he was back on the field.

He returned to practice Oct. 19 and now will have an opportunity to suit up for Carolina.

Darnold's initial injury removed any doubt as to who would be starting for the Panthers to open the season. The job was probably Baker Mayfield's anyway from the moment he arrived in a trade.

Unfortunately for Carolina, the deal has done little to improve its QB play. In six games, Mayfield has thrown for 1,117 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions and completed 56.6 percent of his passes.

P.J. Walker provided signs of life until Sunday's disastrous 42-21 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Darnold could give the team another option, although he struggled himself in 2021. He finished his first year in Carolina with 2,527 yards, nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

With the Panthers already sitting at 2-7, there is still little risk in giving him another shot as the starting quarterback.

Carolina Panthers receiver D.J. Moore was not fined as a result of his controversial 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Moore caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from P.J. Walker to tie the game in the closing seconds in Week 8:

PJ WALKER TO DJ MOORE HAIL MARY. PANTHERS TIE IT UP 😱😱😱😱

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/on7Li6kOK1

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 30, 2022

Unfortunately, he received a personal foul call for removing his helmet on the field. Kicker Eddy Pineiro missed the potential go-ahead extra point after the 15-yard penalty, and Carolina lost 37-34 in overtime.

Panthers' tight end Stephen Sullivan was fined $4,583, however, for his actions during the celebration. Sullivan (No. 84) can also be seen with his helmet off in the end zone after the touchdown.

While Moore seemingly didn't take off his helmet until after he was out of the field of play through the end zone, Sullivan had run with his helmet off through the field to greet his teammate after the touchdown.

Moore was criticized after the game for his costly penalty, although he said he doesn't regret his actions.

"Regrets? Nah," Moore told reporters Friday. "Not to that extent. Should I not have done it? No. Did I do it? Yeah. And I own up to that. It was just like in the moment type of deal. Can I say if I would do it differently in that moment? Nah, probably not."

It was only the second personal foul call of Moore's career, coming after a taunting in September 2020.

His only career fine came in 2020 when he was docked $10,000 for breaking COVID-19 protocol.

Though it might have cost the 2-6 Panthers a chance at a win, it seems the NFL and Moore are ready to move past the incident. Carolina is looking to get back on track against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Rams reportedly offered the Carolina Panthers multiple first-round picks in exchange for defensive end Brian Burns.

Albert Breer of The MMQB (h/t Brendan Sugrue of Bears Wire) reported on the Rams' offer to Carolina on ESPN 1000 in Chicago on Tuesday.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also reported the Rams offered two first-round picks for Burns and added that they included running back Cam Akers in those talks.

The Panthers have been active leading up to Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, trading running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals. However, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported Carolina intends to keep Burns despite receiving a strong offer.

No team has been more aggressive on the trade market than the Rams in recent years. They dealt high draft picks in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey in 2019, quarterback Matthew Stafford before the 2021 season and pass-rusher Von Miller last November.

Those moves helped the Rams win the Super Bowl last season, but it also left them short on draft picks.

For the 2023 NFL draft, the Rams are without their picks in the first, fourth and fifth rounds, meaning they would have had to deal from future draft classes in a trade for Burns.

The 24-year-old Burns was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

In his fourth NFL season, he is on pace for his best statistical campaign yet with five sacks, 36 tackles and eight tackles for loss through eight games.

After recording 7.5 sacks as a rookie, Burns registered nine sacks in each of the past two seasons, and he earned his first career Pro Bowl selection in 2021.

Since the Panthers are seemingly in rebuilding mode, securing two future first-round picks may have been attractive, but keeping a young, productive pass-rusher could have more value.

Burns continues to improve, and he is under contract next season at a salary of $16 million after Carolina exercised his fifth-year option.

If Burns continues to play well, the Panthers may make a longer-term investment in him, and they would likely be happy to do so since a star pass-rusher is among the most important foundational pieces in the NFL.

For the Rams, the 2022 season has been disappointing as they are just 3-4 and in third place in the NFC West.

Despite their struggles, they have a golden opportunity to reach the playoffs given how weak the NFC is as a whole.

Even the Panthers aren't out of it at 2-6 as they trail the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons by only two games. That may have played into their decision to retain Burns.

While reportedly turning down two first-rounders for Burns could come back to bite the Panthers, they've already picked up extra second-, third- and fourth-round picks in the 2023 draft, so they have plenty of ammo to add young talent.

The Los Angeles Rams and fantasy football players alike were surely holding their breath Sunday when wide receiver Cooper Kupp went down with an injury.

Fortunately for both, it seems like the game-changing playmaker avoided something serious.

Kupp told reporters he thinks he ended up "dodging a bullet" on the ankle injury, while head coach Sean McVay said he was "kicking himself" for leaving him in during the final minute of a 31-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

So Kupp might not miss much time, but even one game would be a problem for fantasy players reliant on his production.

That means it might be time to head to the waiver wire or even find a wide receiver to trade for ahead of the Week 9 slate.

The first name to target is Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Damiere Byrd. The veteran wide receiver has never been a massive producer, topping out at 604 receiving yards as his career high, but he looks like a fantasy sleeper after his last two performances.

Byrd hauled in a 75-yard touchdown catch in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday and followed it up with three catches for 67 yards and one touchdown in an overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Only Kyle Pitts had more targets in the win over Carolina, suggesting Byrd is starting to establish some chemistry with Marcus Mariota.

Elsewhere, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer is another ideal target for either a trade or a waiver-wire addition. Mike Williams is sidelined with an injury, and Keenan Allen has dealt with a hamstring setback for much of the season.

Palmer is coming off a showing against the Denver Broncos that saw him post nine catches on 12 targets and even earned a recommendation from his teammate:

You heard it from @AustinEkeler himself - go get Josh Palmer! pic.twitter.com/vehuSojif8

— Rotoworld Football (@rotoworld_fb) October 28, 2022

A potential under-the-radar addition for fantasy players is Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., who impressed against the Falcons in Sunday's loss with four catches for 87 yards on nine targets.

The LSU product was a second-round pick in 2021 and had just 138 receiving yards as a rookie, but he looked like a difference-maker with quarterback P.J. Walker under center in Sunday's contest.

There was a reason the Panthers selected Marshall with a second-round pick, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they look to target him more after his latest showing.

Baker Mayfield told reporters Thursday he doesn't plan to request a trade from the Carolina Panthers despite losing his starting job to PJ Walker:

Baker Mayfield says he’s healthy enough to go and obviously wants to play but is embracing his current role. Says PJ Walker “played his ass off.” pic.twitter.com/iElvcbl6ck

— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) October 27, 2022

Mayfield has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, but he is expected to be available for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Head coach Steve Wilks said Walker got most of the first-team reps in practice Wednesday, while Mayfield took ran with the scout team.

Walker earned the starting job after totaling 177 passing yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in a 21-3 upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

"It's going to be tough to not put him back in there," Wilks said of Walker on Monday. "As of right now, I don't see any reason to. I still want to evaluate things through the week, but I thought his performance yesterday was really impressive, just the things he did, from commanding the offense, pushing the ball downfield."

Mayfield hadn't been nearly as productive during the team's 1-4 start.

The 27-year-old totaled four touchdown passes with four interceptions, averaging only 192.4 passing yards per game. His 71.9 passer rating would be a career low, while his 15.3 Total QBR is easily the worst of all qualified quarterbacks.

He must now win back his starting job amid Walker's strong play and Sam Darnold returning to full strength from his ankle injury.

It's clear Mayfield won't request a trade, however, as he did during the offseason with the Cleveland Browns. After months of uncertainty, he was finally shipped to Carolina in July in exchange for a conditional draft pick.

His market would likely be limited if he did want to move again before the Nov. 1 trade deadline.

The 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick is set to become a free agent after this season, which could grant him a fresh start in a new location.

The Carolina Panthers' scouting department reportedly recommended the team trade up in the 2020 NFL draft to select Justin Herbert, but former general manager Marty Hurney and former head coach Matt Rhule declined to pursue a deal.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported there were concerns moving up from the No. 7 pick in 2020 "could hurt other areas of the team."

The Los Angeles Chargers selected Herbert with the No. 6 pick. Carolina used its first-round pick on defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who has been solid but is nowhere near the franchise-changing talent of Herbert.

The Herbert decision is one of a cornucopia of gaffes during Hurney's second tenure in Carolina. Hurney consistently clashed with owner David Tepper and Rhule over their preference for data-driven decisions before his ouster in December 2020. Carolina fired Rhule five games into the 2022 season after he posted an 11-27 record—a failure largely caused by ineptitude at the quarterback position.

Herbert has become an instant star in Los Angeles, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 and making his first Pro Bowl last season. The Chargers haven't reached the postseason yet with Herbert at the helm, but they have a franchise face for at least the next decade whereas Carolina is in the early start of another rebuild.

There's something to be said for wanting to build a depth-laden team, but there's a reason teams continually mortgage their futures for quarterbacks. There are only so many competent ones—let alone ones with Herbert's potential.

If the Carolina scouts felt that strongly about Herbert in 2020, it was a no-brainer to make a move—even without the benefit of hindsight.

Former Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule reportedly heavily influenced the front office's decision to trade for quarterback Sam Darnold during the 2021 offseason.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday a team source described Rhule's leadership approach was to "wear everybody out" until he got what he wanted, with the Darnold deal being one key example.

"It was Darnold, Darnold, Darnold [for Rhule] that offseason," a Panthers front-office source told Fowler.

How the Panthers would fill their quarterback void was the biggest question when Rhule was hired in January 2020. He was fired two weeks ago with an answer at the sport's most important position still elusive.

Carolina held the No. 7 pick in the 2020 draft and considered trading up but opted against the idea amid "concern that trading draft capital to make it happen could hurt other areas of the team," per Fowler.

The Panthers watched as Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert came off the board inside the first six selections. They grabbed defensive tackle Derrick Brown, a high-impact player in his own right, but the chance to get a franchise QB slipped away.

Teddy Bridgewater, who was signed in free agency ahead of the 2020 season, also wasn't the solution, which led Carolina to Darnold in 2021.

The former USC standout had produced three mediocre seasons with the New York Jets, but Rhule pushed forward with his interest, showing he was "willing to overlook Darnold's well-documented problems with turnovers and accuracy," per Fowler.

It didn't work out, as Darnold threw nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions across 12 appearances last season. Carolina tried another quarterback change this year, acquiring Baker Mayfield from the Cleveland Browns, but that also hasn't produced the desired results.

So the Panthers' hunt for a long-term QB continues, and now it's taking place alongside the search for a new head coach.

Meanwhile, Darnold may be in line for another chance to lead the Carolina offense before season's end as he moves closer to a return from an ankle injury.

P.J. Walker was announced as the team's starter for Sunday's road game against the Atlanta Falcons after leading the team to a 21-3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.