Panthers Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Week 1 Outlook: Should You Start Adam Thielen, Jonathan Mingo?
It’s a new era for the Carolina Panthers as the 2023 season opens. Frank Reich was hired as the team’s new coach and rookie Bryce Young will take the reins at quarterback.
Those aren’t the only new faces on the team though. The receiver room was given a boost this offseason with the additions of D.J. Chark Jr., Adam Thielen, and Jonathan Mingo. As Week 1 closes in, many fantasy players are trying to figure out how the pecking order might look in the passing game and are wondering who, if anyone, is worthy of a starting spot. Our Week 1 projections have all three members of the trio ranked between WR52 and WR78. I’m here to try and help you sift through it all and make the right decisions to start your season 1-0.
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Adam Thielen Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook
Thielen will be experiencing his first season away from the Minnesota Vikings in his career. During his time there, he turned in some valuable seasons, helping his team to wins and fantasy teams to titles. His production has dipped a bit in the past couple of seasons, coinciding with his aging and the emergence of Justin Jefferson as one of the league’s best wideouts.
In 2022, he played in all 17 games and finished with 70 receptions for 716 yards and six scores while being targeted 107 times. He managed at least three catches in each game until Week 15 of the regular season, but in the final three games, he totaled just four grabs.
Thielen is 33 years old, so while his best football is likely behind him, his most recent season still shows he can be a consistent threat in the passing game. Even better for those who drafted Thielen, there’s an opportunity in Carolina for him to be the No. 1 guy again.
In Week 1, Thielen is projected to be targeted five times, catching three for 31 yards and 0.3 touchdowns. He has one of the better trust ratings in the entire league based on his history of consistent production.
D.J. Chark Jr. Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook
Chark comes to Carolina after spending a single season with the Detroit Lions. Chark played in 11 games in 2022, hauling in 30 passes for 502 yards and three scores on 52 targets. Since a 73-catch, 1,008-yard season with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, Chark has played in just 28 games across the last three years.
When he’s on the field, he can certainly be a difference-maker and valuable asset for fantasy teams. Unfortunately, the injury bug has already bitten Chark, as he’s dealing with a hamstring injury. His status for Week 1 was up in the air as August came to a close.
Our site projects Chark to be targeted three times, with him catching 2.1 for 35 yards and 0.2 touchdowns. His trust rating is a 58.
With the Panthers playing in the first slate of Sunday games, you should be able to make a call on whether or not to play him at least an hour or so before the game kicks off, if not much sooner depending on how he progresses on the injury report this week.
Jonathan Mingo Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook
Mingo was a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for Carolina out of Mississippi. Mingo didn’t exactly light it up during the preseason, but he did start to build some chemistry with Bryce Young and certainly has the most potential of the team’s top wideouts.
Mingo is listed as a starter and should get plenty of snaps and chances to produce in Week 1 with some other receivers banged up.
The rookie is projected to be targeted four times, with 2.5 catches, 35 yards and 0.1 touchdowns.
Who Do I Start Week 1?
The Panthers’ receiving corps is a bit of a mess as the season begins because of all the injuries. Their injury report will be one to monitor as the week progresses.
With some of those injuries in mind, and a rookie quarterback making his first start against the Atlanta Falcons in what is a wide-open NFC South, a veteran pass catcher might be exactly what the youngster needs to thrive. So while Thielen might not be the receiver he once was, I like him this week, likely serving as your last wideout or flex player. He should get more targets than he’s projected, especially if there are only a couple of other bodies available, and the likelihood he scores also increases. I’d feel comfortable starting Thielen even if all the team’s receivers suit up, but think it would be a no-brainer if one or two guys are out.
Chark is a wideout I’d avoid in Week 1 given his injury. Even if he’s active, the chances he plays a high snap count and is targeted frequently seem pretty low. There’s always the chance he scores, but that’s too big of a risk for my liking.
Mingo is a receiver I like this season, but I’m hesitant to give him the starting nod right away. Sure, if a couple of other wideouts are down, Mingo could be a sleeper for a modest outing, but I think there are probably several proven veterans available out there I’d rather roll with for Week 1.
