Carolina Panthers injuries: Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jalen Coker updates going into Week 14

Matt Alquiza | 17 Hours Ago

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Carolina Panthers

If healthy, the Carolina Panthers are poised to play spoiler down the stretch. Upcoming matchups against playoff hopefuls like the Eagles, Cardinals, Falcons, and Buccaneers present opportunities for Bryce Young to play the role of the Grinch this holiday season.

He'll need a full compliment of weapons to pull it off, and week 14 will present his first chance to throw to a complete arsenal of receivers.

According to Panthers head coach Dave Canales, the hope is to have both tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders and wide receiver Jalen Coker back in the lineup for the team's trip to Philadelphia.

Canales: The hope is Ja'Tavion Sanders (neck) and Jalen Coker (quad) will be back this week. Have a "couple of big days" of practice upcoming.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) December 2, 2024

Sanders, a fifth round pick out of the University of Texas, is recovering from a neck injury suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs. The rookie pass catching tight end was rumbling down the sideline before he was upheaved by a Kansas City defender, awkwardly landing on his head before getting carted off the field. Mercifully he avoided a serious injury and is on track to return next week.

Coker, an undrafted rookie out of Holy Cross, tweaked his quad inbetween contests against New Orleans and Kansas City. Carolina's breakout star has racked up 17 receptions and 263 yards in his rookie campaign; a statistical output that had him amound the league's top ten rookie receivers before his injury.

A resurgent Bryce Young will welcome back two of his most talented targets. David Moore has filled in nicely while Sanders and Coker nursed their injuries, but the pair of rookies will bring a dynamism to Carolina's offense that has lacked in their absence.