Jalen Coker injury: Panthers rookie wide receiver's latest status update for Week 16

Carolina gets good news on their popular undrafted rookie wide receiver for Sunday's game.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 03: Jalen Coker #18 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after a first down during the first quarter in front of Demario Davis #56 of the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium on November 03, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers looked like they might be missing three wide receivers for today's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Rookie Xavier Legette has already been ruled out due to a hip injury, David Moore is questionable with a concussion and Jalen Coker is also listed as questionable with the quad issue that's been lingering for several weeks but did not sideline him last week.

The Panthers got good news on Coker's status overnight. According to Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, Coker is expected to play against Arizona today. That's good news for the Panthers, because even though he went undrafted you can make a case that Coker is the team's best wide receiver outside of veteran Adam Thielen.

Coker missed about a month with the quad injury, but he returned to action last week against the Dallas Cowboys and made big splash. Coker led all Panthers receivers with four catches, 110 yards and a touchdown, most of which came on an 83-yard catch and run score. The big knock on Coker's game going into the 2024 NFL draft was his supposed lack of speed, but on that play he showed more than enough game speed to flourish at this level, given the opportunity.

Coker wound up going undrafted, but nevertheless was identified by Panthers great Steve Smith as the best route-runner of any receiver in his clas.

For the season Coker has appeared in eight games, making 21 catches on 32 targets, totaling 373 yards and two touchdowns.

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