Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders has returned to practice this week after missing about two weeks due to a groin injury. Sanders did not play in any of Carolina’s three preseason games. Will he be ready to go for the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons (and for fantasy football managers)? Here’s the latest injury update on the new Panthers RB.
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What Happened to Miles Sanders?
It is unclear when and exactly how Sanders injured his groin, though it kept him out of action in each of Carolina’s preseason games. As a big-time offseason acquisition for the Panthers and with a rookie QB under center in Bryce Young, it’s likely that Carolina hoped for Sanders to suit up for at least some preseason action.
Still, considering that Sanders is barely into his four-year commitment with the Panthers, it makes sense that Carolina is opting for caution with its RB1. Head coach Frank Reich has downplayed the severity of the injury, calling it “a little tweak.”
Sanders himself minimized the injury’s impact on his availability, saying that he’s “absolutely” going to be ready for Week 1.
How Does Sanders’ Injury Impact Carolina’s Plans?
It would be fair to wonder if Sanders is exuding a bit of overconfidence in his Week 1 availability as the new guy in Carolina and a veteran presence on an otherwise young offense. That said, it’s likely not the case here. It’s meaningful that Sanders has returned to practice.
On top of that, Carolina isn’t exactly contingency planning for Sanders’ potential absence. Just today, Carolina released RB Camerun Peoples in its first round of team cuts. Peoples was the only RB among the 18 total draft picks and UDFAs that Carolina selected this offseason.
Assuming that Carolina views Sanders as close to 100% health, he has a chance to be one of the few three-down backs in the NFL in 2023. The Panthers clearly have high hopes for him.
“We do feel like Miles has the opportunity and potential to be one of our playmakers,″ Reich said. “He’s explosive. He’s a dual threat.”
It’s not like Carolina is all talk when it comes to Sanders, either. In an offseason where the financial respect — or lack thereof — to veteran RBs is a top narrative, Sanders landed a $25.4 million deal that is now the fifth-highest in total value at the position across the league.
What Does This Mean for Sanders’ Fantasy Ranking?
Honestly, for the short term, probably very little. If you have already drafted Sanders or have plans to place a large fantasy investment into him, you can take a deep exhale.
That said, even apparently minor injuries like this one can serve as a cold splash of water when it comes to the stability of “three-down backs” in the modern NFL. That is especially true in Sanders’ case, as his potential full-time role is the most appealing element of his fantasy profile for 2023.
That isn’t to suggest that Sanders isn’t a talented and consistent runner. His 1,269 rushing yards ranked fifth in the NFL in 2022, and his 3,708 rushing yards since his debut in 2019 rank ninth across the league.
It isn’t difficult to poke holes in Sanders’ game, though. For starters, he’s leaving behind an Eagles offensive line that’s consistently regarded as the best in the NFL for a unit in Carolina that is badly struggling this offseason.
The offensive line was considered one of the Panthers’ strengths coming into this season. So far in the preseason, they haven’t looked great. They have a couple weeks to iron out the kinks. #Panthers
🎥 @Queen_City_News pic.twitter.com/SW9UNUPXwg
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3)
Sanders also has the reputation of a burner, but his recent ability to actually seek and hit home runs doesn’t match up. Among the 19 players to rush for 900+ yards in 2022, only Aaron Jones and Najee Harris had a season-long run shorter than Sanders’ best of 40 yards.
MORE: 2023 Dynasty RB Rankings
As for Sanders’ pass catching, consider me bearish on that phase of his game. Plenty has been made that Sanders caught 50 balls as a rookie, and that Duce Staley — then the Eagles’ running backs coach — is now the Panthers’ running backs coach.
That was four years ago, though — on an Eagles’offense in which the leading wide receiver had only 43 receptions. Almost all advanced receiving metrics paint Sanders as one of the worst pass catchers in the league, too.
and for fun I changed the threshold to min. 200 routes run and wanted to share who was at the bottom of this metric in 2022. pic.twitter.com/gF2P31b1ac
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice)
Sanders’ current ranking as the RB19 isn’t egregious or anything, though I’d recommend against reaching for him in any drafts due to excitement over his potential workload.
If anything, Chuba Hubbard could be a sneaky last-round pick in standard drafts as a possible Week 1 play while Sanders is worked into the Panthers’ attack.
For managers in any deep, PPR leagues — keep Raheem Blackshear on your radar. He might be Carolina’s best receiving back, and there’s a chance that this offense is dumping the ball off a ton, especially late in the season.
