The Carolina Panthers prepare for their crucial Week 16 road matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they continue their push for a playoff spot. Tetairoa McMillan did not practice on Wednesday with a foot and ankle injury. Will fantasy football managers have their rookie wide receiver available for this critical divisional contest?
Tetairoa McMillan Injury Update
McMillan has dealt with several minor injury issues throughout his rookie campaign but has not missed a game due to any of them. The first-year receiver has appeared in all 13 games this season and emerged as the Panthers’ clear top receiving option. He leads all Carolina pass catchers by a significant margin in both targets and receiving yards.​
McMillan got rolled up on during last week’s game against the New Orleans Saints. The injury occurred when he was at the bottom of a pile and another player fell on his lower leg. Despite the injury, McMillan finished the contest and continued playing through the discomfort.​
The rookie wide receiver did not practice on Wednesday. McMillan was listed with a foot and ankle injury on the team’s first injury report of the week.​
Head coach Dave Canales has quickly emerged into one of the more reliable coaches when it comes to injuries. Canales addressed McMillan’s status following Wednesday’s practice and said McMillan got rolled up on last week and they decided to hold him out. The head coach did not sound overly concerned about the injury or McMillan’s availability for Sunday.​
Canales has demonstrated throughout the season that he provides straightforward and honest assessments regarding player injuries. When there is genuine concern about a player’s status, Canales typically indicates that in his comments. His lack of concern regarding McMillan suggests this is more of a precautionary measure than a serious injury issue.​
It sounds like McMillan should return to practice on Thursday. At this point, it is too soon to worry about his availability. The Panthers have everything to play for as they remain in the thick of the playoff race, so there is no incentive to take an overly cautious approach.​
The team needs McMillan on the field as they attempt to secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2017. The expectation should be that McMillan plays.​
McMillan has been the focal point of the Panthers’ passing attack this season. Through 14 games, the rookie has recorded 59 receptions for 851 yards and eight touchdowns.
McMillan’s Fantasy Outlook
Carolina prefers to run the ball and that puts their receivers in a tough spot to be consistent, but McMillan was overcoming that for a while thanks to high-end volume.
As it turns out, defenses watch film and are now keying on the focal point of this low-volume passing attack, but managers with the standout rookie in a bit of a tough spot.
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After clearing a 31% target share in three straight, his piece of the pie has dropped to 22.5% over the past month, a rate that would be viable in an above average offense that consistently challenges teams through the air, but that’s not the life the Panthers have chosen in 2025.
That’s resulted in him failing to reach 45 yards in back-to-back-to-back games. He bailed you out with a touchdown in each of the first two, but no such luck over the weekend and there’s a chance that his 4.5 PPR points are the reason you’re in the consolation portion of your playoff bracket.
Better times are ahead.
At least for this week.
In this huge game, I expect McMillan to be schemed up with regularity. Of course, the Bucs figure to key on him as well, but can they be effective in doing so?
In every game since September, Tampa Bay has allowed the opposing top producing receiver to clear his season long PPG average and, with all due respect to Jalen Coker, that role is McMillan’s.
I don’t think we see him record his third multi-TD game of the season, but something like what we got four weeks ago (seven targets and a touchdown) is very much in play and why I have him labeled as a safe WR2 in all formats.
— PFSN Fantasy Analyst Kyle Soppe
