Jalen

Coker

Coker did not practice this week and has now been ruled out. It will be the second consecutive game the rookie has missed since popping up on the injury report late last week. His absence doesn’t come as a surprise after head coach Dave Canales said on Wednesday that he didn’t expect Coker to play. We’ll see if he’s able to get on the field in Week 14 when the Panthers hit the road to take on the Eagles.

Coker is trending toward missing his second straight game. He injured his quad late in Week 12’s practice week and has not practiced since last Thursday. Both Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette should see target share bumps with Coker and Ja’Tavion Sanders (neck) likely out for Week 13.

Coker was a late addition to the injury report last week and was not able to suit up on Sunday because of the quad issue. He was not spotted at the start of Wednesday’s practice and the injury report later confirmed he did not participate. He appears to be on the wrong side of questionable to open the week. David Moore stepped up with 10 targets in a starting role last week and would be in line for another sizable role if Coker remains sidelined. Panthers coach Dave Canales said he does not anticipate Coker playing this week.

Coker was added to the Panthers’ injury report on Friday — always a bad sign for a player’s Sunday availability. He won’t suit up against the Chiefs while Adam Thielen returns from a long-term hamstring injury. Thielen and Xavier Legette will profile as the Panthers’ top two wideouts with Coker sidelined.

Coker was a surprise DNP on Friday. The rookie was added to the injury report with a quad injury and is officially questionable for Week 12’s game against the Chiefs. Given the late timing of his injury, there’s a good chance Coker is trending on the wrong side of being active this Sunday. Fantasy managers looking to start him will want to check the Panthers’ inactives when they’re released 90 minutes before kickoff.

Coker’s box score is underwhelming, but his share of the offense was massive in Week 10. His 41 receiving yards were good for nearly a third of Bryce Young’s passing output and he logged an astounding 32 percent target share. The potential return of Adam Thielen after Carolina’s Week 11 bye could stymie a potential Coker breakout, but fantasy managers with a bench spot to spare could do worse as far as wide receiver stashes go.

Diontae Johnson was traded, but Coker surprisingly found himself in a receiver rotation with several also-rans. Not the follow up fantasy managers wanted to his encouraging Week 8. The reality is, there is only so encouraging things can get in this awful offense. Coker remains little more than an end-of-bench stash in 14-team leagues.

Legette was added to the injury report with the toe issue mid-week, causing some concern for his Week 9 availability. He was limited in Thursday and Friday’s practices before being listed as questionable. With Diontae Johnson traded and Adam Thielen still out, Legette is now the Panthers’ de facto WR1. His volume in that role should be enough to keep the rookie on the WR3 periphery for fantasy purposes. UDFA rookie Jalen Coker is the team’s No. 2 receiver.

Legette was added to the injury report as a limited participant on Thursday because of the toe issue. He remained limited on Friday and should be able to suit up, though fantasy managers will want to keep tabs on this situation. If Legette doesn’t play, UDFA rookie Jalen Coker will serve as the team’s No. 1 receiver. Coker is worth an add in all fantasy formats.

As far as his health goes, Thielen appears to be trending toward a return after being a limited participant in practice over the last two weeks. His Week 9 absence could have more to do with the league’s impending trade deadline, which comes at 4 PM EST on November 5th. With Diontae Johnson now gone, Thielen becomes the next vet who the Panthers could deal to a contender in the coming days, which only amplifies the need to ensure he’s healthy after this weekend. If he’s not dealt, there’s a good chance Thielen will be active for Week 10 when the Panthers face the Giants. Rookie UDFA Jalen Coker, who saw six targets last week, could once again benefit from Thielen’s absence this week.