5 Best Wide Receivers in Carolina Panthers History

Drafted 28th overall in 2014 as a top target for Cam Newton, Benjamin blossomed into a 1,000 yard rookie before missing the entire 2015 season after tearing his ACL in the following training camp. When he returned from the injury in 2016, he got back to form, bringing in 941 yards and seven touchdowns.

Benjamin’s legacy in Carolina is complicated due to subsequent locker room friction that led to an October 2017 trade. Newton’s MVP award and Super Bowl 50 run in his absence further complicate things.

However, Benjamin’s 60.6 yards per game is solid, and he ranks fifth among franchise wide receivers with his 2,424 receiving yards.

3. DJ Moore (2018-2022)

While Moore would certainly have his more iconic moments in Chicago after the drafting of Caleb Williams, he left a strong statistical legacy behind in Carolina, racking up 5,201 receiving yards in five mostly-healthy seasons.

From 2019 to 2021, Moore recorded over 1,100 receiving yards in back-to-back-to-back seasons, and started every possible game from 2021 to 2022. His 5,201 receiving yards is fourth-most in franchise history and third-most among wide receivers.

2. Muhsin Muhammad (1996-2009)

One of the true beloved staples of the Panthers behind linebacker Sam Mills, “Moose” was not only drafted by the team in their second-ever draft, but he retired as a Panther after a brief tenure with the Bears, spending 11 of his 14 NFL seasons in Carolina all-told.

Muhammad had three seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards, including a 1,400 yard season in 2004 that followed Jake Delhomme and the Panthers’ run to Super Bowl XXXVIII. Delhomme and Muhammad connected on an 85-yard touchdown reception in the Big Game, which remains the longest touchdown reception in Super Bowl history.

Between longevity and sheer consistency, Muhammad racked up 9,255 receiving yards, which ranks second in franchise history.

1. Steve Smith Sr. (2001-2013)

The all-time leader in receiving yards, Smith played 13 seasons in Carolina and left behind an enduring legacy.

In 2005, he put together one of the finest wide receiver seasons in modern history, winning the Triple Crown by leading the NFL in receptions (103), receiving yards (1,563) and receiving touchdowns (12), earning Comeback Player of the Year after he suffered a broken leg in the 2004 season opener.

He’d follow that up by making it four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, making the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2008. He’d make it seven seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards after returning to the 1,000-yard mark in 2011 and 2012.

All of that statistical dominance, of course, follows his massive role in the Panthers’ 2003 Super Bowl run, and all-around postseason greatness best exemplified by his 91 yards/game tally in the postseason.

Not only is Smith Sr. the best wide receiver in Panthers history, he’s one of the best wide receivers in NFL history, retiring with 14,731 receiving yards, which is good for eighth in NFL history.