Jalen

Coker

Coker led all Panthers’ pass-catchers in receptions, yards, and targets in this one. The second-year receiver caught his first touchdown of the season in the third quarter when he broke free past Emmanuel Forbes on a fourth-and-three to haul in a 33-yard score. He later came up with a 10-yard reception on the game’s final drive to convert a first down and officially put the game on ice. The six targets Coker saw in this one sets a new season-high, but fantasy managers shouldn’t rush to chase this performance in Week 15 against the Saints when the Panthers return from their bye.

Coker finished third on the team in receiving behind running back Rico Dowdle and alpha rookie Tetairoa McMillan, which is more of a nod to the offense’s general inability to move the football than it is to his individual performance. The Panthers managed just 72 yards of total offense in the first half, even while generating three turnovers in the first 30 minutes of play. Coker appears more promising than his current exploits indicate, particularly since the shift to a more run-focused offense by head coach Dave Canales. That leaves his fantasy value lacking ahead of a Week 13 matchup with the NFC-leading Rams.

Coker operated as the Panthers’ No. 3 receiver again this week. He averaged an impressive 13 yards per target but only accounted for nine percent of the team’s receiving opportunities. Coker is ultimately a better real-life player than a fantasy asset. He is buried in the WR6/7 ranks ahead of his Week 12 date with the 49ers.

The Panthers’ passing game can barely support Tetairoa McMillan as a WR3 so it should be no surprise that Coker continues to have little to no impact. Coker’s appeared in four games now and finished with receiving totals of zero, 36, nine and 21. He’s a FLEX play in deeper leagues at best against the Falcons in Week 11.

Panthers beat writer David Newton wrote shortly after practice that head coach Dave Canales “told reporters there is concern after the injury popped up today.” Late-week injuries are never a good sign for a player’s availability come Sunday, and the fact that Canales is suggesting there could be something to be concerned about makes this even worse. We won’t press the panic button until there’s reason to do so, but fantasy managers counting on McMillan in Week 10 should have a backup plan in place in the event he ends up being ruled out. If McMillan did miss Sunday’s game, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker could both be in line to see increased workloads.

Coker had a tough matchup against Taron Johnson in the slot, but he was able to win on a few out-breaking routes. The 23-year-old is the clear second option in the Panthers’ passing game, which will make him a potential FLEX play in deeper leagues as you navigate bye weeks. The ceiling just doesn’t seem overly high.

This is the second week in a row that the Panthers have made Renfrow a healthy inactive with Jalen Coker back from the IR. Coker will continue to see essentially all the slot snaps, but he has a really tough matchup against Taron Johnson, who is one of the best slot corners in the league.

With Coker activated, WR Hunter Renfrow — who had taken on the full-time slot role in Carolina — is a healthy scratch. Coker could see a significant role in the run-heavy Panthers offense, operating as the team’s No. 2 wideout behind Tetairoa McMillan. Coker is a workable fantasy option in 14-team leagues. Other Carolina inactives for Week 7: RB DeeJay Dallas, G Damien Lewis, TE James Mitchell, DT Cam Jackson, and DT Jaden Crumedy.

It’s the first taste of action Coker will get this season. The second-year receiver caught 32 passes for 478 yards and two touchdowns with the Panthers last season, and earned six or more targets in four of the 11 games he appeared in. The former UDFA is unlikely to see a significant role out of the gate, but could have some fantasy viability in deeper leagues if Xavier Legette or Tet McMillan were ever to miss time.

Coker returned to practice last week after missing the first five games of the year with a quad injury. He was a full participant in all three practices, but the team ultimately ruled him out before Sunday, giving him another week to get back to full strength. He should be good to go after another full week of practices, though Canales noted he needs to make sure Coker can handle the workload before giving him the green light. Coker will immediately step into the Panthers’ starting receiver mix for a great matchup with a struggling Jets defense. He will be a risky start if active this week, but fantasy managers should at least be stashing him in all formats.