Fantasy Impact: Panthers Take Bryce Young in 2023 NFL Draft

The Alabama quarterback should be a Week 1 starter, but he doesn't have enough weapons in Carolina to shine as a rookie.

The Panthers selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He was sensational in his final two seasons in college, throwing for a combined 8,200 yards and 79 touchdowns while tossing just 12 interceptions. Young has good arm strength and awareness in the pocket, and he’s clearly an accurate passer based on his statistical totals with the Crimson Tide.

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He'll project to be the Week 1 starter ahead of veteran Andy Dalton, but I do have my reservations about his rookie fantasy appeal. Most first-year starters don’t make a huge impact unless their rushing skills complement their passing traits. Young was not a successful runner in college, posting just 185 rushing yards last season … and 100 of those yards came in one game (the team’s opener against Utah State).

Another concern with Young is the talent (or lack thereof) around him in Carolina. The team was busy in the offseason, but none of the new additions are what I would consider “elite.” Miles Sanders is a good but not great running back, veteran wideout Adam Thielen is past his prime, DJ Chark has had one good season in the pros and Hayden Hurst is a good tight end but not what I would call spectacular.

Bryce Young fantasy football ranking and analysis

Fantasy fans also must be concerned with Young’s noted lack of size, as his official height and weight at the NFL Combine were 5’10”, 204 pounds. Only two other field generals in the Super Bowl era at 5’10” or shorter and 205 or lighter have scored over 200 fantasy points in a single season: Sonny Jurgensen (1967, 1969) and Doug Flutie (1999). That trend might be the most concerning for Young.

At the end of the day, Young will be selected as a late-round, low-end No. 2 fantasy quarterback in most redrafts. He’ll no doubt show flashes of brilliance as a rookie, but there will also be a learning curve in what is a much faster NFL game.

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