Entering his fourth professional season, Bryce Young didn’t take the massive fantasy leap many hoped for last year, despite leading Carolina to an NFC South division title. He set career highs across the board in 2025 by completing 63.6% of his passes for 3,011 yards and throwing 23 touchdowns, but the underlying metrics highlight a severely capped fantasy ceiling.
Should I Draft Bryce Young in Fantasy Football?
The primary issue is a glaring lack of vertical passing and rushing equity. His 4.8-yard average depth of target on completed passes was among the lowest in the league, and Carolina actively hid him in the game plan at times, allowing him to surpass 225 passing yards in just three games. In addition to that, the rushing floor that many hoped would eventually materialize simply hasn’t.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Panthers’ offense remains a heavily run-leaning unit under head coach Dave Canales. While receiver Tetairoa McMillan gives Young a legitimate top target alongside developing younger options like Jalen Coker, the overall passing volume just isn’t there to support consistent fantasy upside.
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Ultimately, this profiles as a yo-yo situation where his production features absolute duds mixed with occasional spike weeks, making him a headache to roster, stream, or by on the cheap in DFS.
Because of that volatility and low baseline volume, Young is no more than a low-end QB2 target this season. While he is slowly developing into a competent real-life NFL starter, there is absolutely no reason to draft him in standard 1-QB redraft formats. He should only be targeted as a matchup-dependent streaming option or a depth piece in Superflex leagues depending on your build.
The developemental steps he’s taking are good to see and maybe they result in the Panthers labeling him as the QB of the future, but the impact hasn’t made a real impact in the fantasy space and while I think he can support a strong sophomore season from McMillan, I’m not expecting him to make much of a splash otherwise in our game.
Kyle Soppe’s QB Fantasy Rankings 2026
- Josh Allen | BUF
- Drake Maye | NE
- Joe Burrow | CIN
- Lamar Jackson | BAL
- Jayden Daniels | WAS
- Caleb Williams | CHI
- Justin Herbert | LAC
- Jalen Hurts | PHI
- Jaxson Dart | NYG
- Trevor Lawrence | JAX
- Dak Prescott | DAL
- Bo Nix | DEN
- Patrick Mahomes II | KC
- Brock Purdy | SF
- Matthew Stafford | LAR
- Jared Goff | DET
- Kyler Murray | MIN
- Jordan Love | GB
- Baker Mayfield | TB
- Tyler Shough | NO
- Malik Willis | MIA
- Daniel Jones | IND
- C.J. Stroud | HOU
- Sam Darnold | SEA
- Bryce Young | CAR
- Jacoby Brissett | ARI
- Cam Ward | TEN
- Aaron Rodgers | PIT
- Fernando Mendoza | LV
- Justin Fields | KC
- Kirk Cousins | LV
- Geno Smith | NYJ
