The Carolina Panthers added a new QB at the end of the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft and did not add any more skill position players. Who does that leave as the Buy/Sell/Keep candidates on the Panthers offense?
Buy
D.J. Moore, WR
Carolina Panthers wide receiver, D.J. Moore, was a first-round pick out of Maryland in the 2018 NFL draft. After setting the receptions record at Maryland as a Junior, he became the first wide receiver to be drafted in 2018.
Moore finished his collegiate career playing in 35 straight games while catching a pass in his final 33 games with the Terrapins. In those three seasons, he played with eight different QBs — including four other passers — in his record-setting junior season (2017).
Moore’s professional career has also been a “who’s who” in football throwers. In his four years with the Panthers, Moore has had seven different QBs — Cam Newton, Sam Darnold, P.J. Walker, Teddy Bridgewater, Kyle Allen, Will Grier, and Taylor Heinicke. That is a total of 15 different QBs in half as many years.
Rookie fourth-round pick, Matt Corral, should be the 16th QB to throw the ball to Moore sometime in 2022. Through it all, he continues to catch footballs. As a rookie, Moore led all WRs with 55 receptions for 788 yards and 2 TDs plus 13 carries for 172 yards.
For the following three years Moore had a minimum of 1,100 receiving yards each year. His second year was 87 receptions for 1,175 yards and 4 TDs. In 2020, Moore had 66 receptions for 1,193 yards and 4 TDs. Last year, he delivered 93 receptions for 1,157 yards and 4 TDs.
What is the Ceiling with Moore?
If the Panthers could ever find a franchise QB, Moore would flourish like all top 10 WRs do when they have “their” QB. It does not matter who is throwing the football. Moore continues to catch and deliver. Head coach Matt Rhule knows he must win this year and will use his best players in all situations to get those wins.
Moore’s first 100 reception season should be 2022, and his 1,100-yard streak should continue. He will not be cheap, but buy Moore now at a bit of discount and then start counting your championships.
Sell
Christian McCaffrey, RB
Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey was also a first-round choice for the Panthers but in 2017. He started with a bang as a rookie, with 117 carries for 435 yards and 2 TDs plus 80 receptions for 651 yards and 5 more TDs.
McCaffrey followed that in his second year with 219 carries for 1,098 yards and 7 TDs while also having 107 receptions for 867 yards and another 6 TDs. He bolted to the top of everyone’s fantasy football cheat sheets. In 2019, McCaffrey had another 287 carries for 1,387 yards and 15 TDs and 116 receptions for 1,005 yards and 4 TDs.
Did McCaffrey’s 926 Touches in Three Years Break Him?
McCaffrey broke after taking all those hits that 926 combined carries and receptions bring in just three years. In 2020, he suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 and missed the next six games. McCaffrey returned in Week 9 and sustained a shoulder a/c joint sprain on the game’s last drive and missed the next four games. He then suffered a glute sprain prior to Week 14 game and missed the rest of the season. McCaffrey ended 2020 with just three games played.
In 2021, McCaffrey did not have any better results in the games played department. In week three, he suffered a strained hamstring and missed the next five games. McCaffrey returned in Week 9 and played in the next four games. In Week 12, McCaffrey suffered a pedal ankle sprain, was placed on injured reserve, and missed the rest of the season. He ended the 21-22 season with seven games played.
McCaffrey, surprisingly, still has incredible value in most dynasty fantasy football leagues. He will be 26 next month, which is when to cash out on RBs. Sell him now and get a player (or two) and a pick (or two) who will be on the field in 2022.
Keep
Tommy Tremble, TE
File Tommy Tremble away under sleeper keepers. He was a third-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2021 NFL draft. He played his college ball at Notre Dame, along with other notable Fighting Irish TEs Cole Kmet and Michael Mayer. Tremble came into Notre Dame as a pass-catching tight end out of Wesleyan School in Georgia. He is a player that could excel in the NFL.
In Tremble’s two years playing for the Fighting Irish, he had 35 receptions for 401 yards and 4 TDs, along with an athletic profile of a 6′ 4″ 250 lb man running a 4.59 40 yard dash, 36.5-inch vertical jump, and a 10′ 2″ broad jump. Tremble was rated the top blocking tight end in 2020. He has been said to have similarities to George Kittle when he came out of Iowa.
Tremble had 20 receptions on 35 targets for 180 yards and 1 TD in his rookie year last year. He should at least double those numbers in 2022. Fellow TE Ian Thomas has not shown that he is the man in his four years in the league.
Be patient and keep Tremble on your rosters and reap the rewards over the next few years. He will be a mainstay in your starting lineups in all your tight-end premium leagues. Look for top 15 this year.
Thank you for checking out the latest article in the Buy/Sell/Keep series! You can read all of my articles on my IDP Guys author page. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @OldMan_FF and @IDPGuys (we have offense, too), and please check out our website at idpguys.org.
