NFL Player News
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Xavier Legette WR | CAR
Panthers' Xavier Legette: Three catches in Week 12 loss
Legette brought in three of five targets for 22 yards in the Panthers' 20-9 loss to the 49ers on Monday night.
Legette tied with Jalen Coker for second in receptions on the Panthers for the night, although that equated to very modest yardage during what was an uninspiring performance for Bryce Young. Legette was coming off his second-highest receiving yardage total (83) of the season in Week 11 against the Falcons, so Monday night's downturn was particularly glaring. Legette next faces a talented Rams secondary in a Week 13 home matchup Sunday.
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Chuba Hubbard RB | CAR
Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Logs seven total touches Monday
Hubbard rushed three times for 16 yards and secured all four targets for 27 yards in the Panthers' 20-9 loss to the 49ers on Monday night.
Hubbard saw half the amount of carries of backfield mate Rico Dowdle, remaining in a clear No. 2 role behind the latter. Hubbard did draw even with Dowdle in receptions and targets due to a game script that saw the Panthers have to rely heavily on the pass as the game went on. Hubbard should handle a similar workload in a Week 13 home matchup against the Rams on Sunday.
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Bryce Young QB | CAR
Panthers' Bryce Young: Rough night in Week 12 loss
Young completed 18 of 29 passes for 169 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions and added four rushes for 15 yards in the Panthers' 20-9 loss to the 49ers on Monday night.
Young was coming off a career-best day in an overtime win over the Falcons in Week 11, but he experienced some significant regression Monday night. The 2023 first overall pick couldn't make many inroads against what had been a vulnerable 49ers defense, save for a 29-yard scoring strike late in the third quarter, and he finished with multiple interceptions for the first time since Week 1. While neither pick directly led to San Francisco points, the second came with 2:54 remaining at the 49ers' 22-yard line and essentially snuffed out any hopes of a Carolina comeback. Young will aim to bounce back in a Week 13 home matchup against the Rams on Sunday, but that shapes up on paper as a more daunting matchup than the one he came up short in Monday night.
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Corey Thornton CB | CAR
Panthers' Corey Thornton: Sporting crutches after loss
Thornton (ankle) was spotted in a cast and on crutches after Monday night's 20-9 loss to the 49ers, Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340 reports.
Thornton sustained an ankle injury in the third quarter, and he was unable to return to the field as a result. Considering the fact that he required a cast for the injury, it seems as if he suffered something significant. With Jaycee Horn (concussion) also exiting the game early, Carolina could be thin at cornerback in its Week 13 matchup with the Rams.
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Christian McCaffrey RB | SF
49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Shines against former club on MNF
McCaffrey rushed 24 times for 89 yards and a touchdown while corralling all seven of his targets for 53 yards in Monday's 20-9 win over Carolina.
McCaffrey showed no mercy to the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft after finishing Monday Night Football as the star of the game while earning his current club its eighth victory in the process. The dual-threat workhorse accounted for 42 percent of the 49ers' 340 yards of offense in his fifth game garnering 30 or more touches this season. McCaffrey continues to carry fantasy squads with 1,581 combined yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns scored in as many starts, showing no ill effects from his injury-plagued 2024 campaign. CMC will face a stiffer test Week 13 against the Browns' vaunted defense, but there is little reason to believe that he won't command as many touches as he can handle Sunday.
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Tetairoa McMillan WR | CAR
Panthers' Tetairoa McMillan: Scores team's only TD in loss
McMillan brought in two of seven targets for 35 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' 20-9 loss to the 49ers on Monday night.
McMillan finished just a yard behind Rico Dowdle for the team lead in receiving yards, and although that came on a modest total, it was an acceptable number when factoring in Bryce Young threw for just 169 yards on the night. McMillan also recorded his third touchdown grab over the last two games on a 29-yard reception late in the third quarter, rounding out his fantasy production nicely. McMillan will aim for a boost in production in a Week 13 home matchup against the red-hot Rams, although that also lines up as a daunting challenge for the inconsistent Young.
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Chandler Zavala G | CAR
Panthers' Chandler Zavala: Spotted with boot
Zavala (calf) had a walking boot on his left leg following Monday night's 20-9 loss to the 49ers, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Zavala suffered a calf injury in the third quarter, ultimately failing to return to the contest. The 26-year-old will likely undergo some additional testing in the near future. The offensive lineman was replaced at right guard by Jake Curhan, who could be set for a starting role moving forward if Zavala is forced to miss any action.
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Kaden Elliss LB | ATL
Falcons' Kaden Elliss: Notches nine stops in Week 12
Elliss finished Sunday's 24-10 win over the Saints with nine tackles (seven solo).
Elliss's tackle total was second most on Atlanta behind Dee Alford (10). The veteran tackler remains a reliable weekly contributor, as he's played every defensive snap in all but of Atlanta's 11 games so far this season. Elliss is up to 74 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, along with four defensed passes (including an interception) on the campaign.
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Rico Dowdle RB | CAR
Panthers' Rico Dowdle: Efficient with 10 touches
Dowdle rushed six times for 38 yards and brought in all four targets for 36 yards in the Panthers' 20-9 loss to the 49ers on Monday night.
Game script significantly limited Dowdle's opportunities on the ground, but the talented back still found his way to a highly efficient performance that saw him pace the Panthers in both rushing and receiving yards. Dowdle's carry total was his lowest since Week 1 when he opened the season stuck in a complementary role behind Chuba Hubbard, but his modest volume Monday was strictly an outlier Dowdle should have a chance to bounce back from to some degree in a Week 13 home matchup against the Rams on Sunday.
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Jalen Ramsey CB | PIT
Steelers' Jalen Ramsey: Nine takedowns in loss
Ramsey registered nine total tackles (three solo) in Sunday's 31-28 loss to Chicago.
Ramsey was able to compile a season-high nine stops, leading the team in the Week 12 loss. The 31-year-old has fully transitioned to safety with the Steelers, and he has now recorded 56 total tackles (32 solo), including 2.0 sacks, while also adding six passes defensed, one of which is an interception, over 11 contests this year.