Carolina Panthers get utterly dreadful news on QB Bryce Young

Don't expect to see Bryce Young next week at home when the Buffalo Bills come to town. The Panthers just revealed that it's a high ankle sprain for Young. Those typically take a while to heal, and he's highly unlikely to suit up on Sunday.

Backup Andy Dalton is now in line to start. He relieved Young, who was benched for poor play, last year for several games before a car accident thrust the young QB into the lineup, and Young never relinquished his role.

Young may miss more than this week. The Panthers don't have a bye until Week 14, so Young won't get the benefit of a natural week off to heal any time soon. High sprains usually take two or more weeks. The worst sprains can take eight weeks, although that timeline feels more severe.

It will be telling whether or not the Panthers place Young on injured reserve. As of now, they haven't, which means they believe or hope he'll be active again within four weeks. If they don't believe that, then he'll hit IR and open a roster spot for someone else, presumably another backup QB, to join.

The Panthers have won four of five and Young was really rounding into form. This is a heartbreaker for him and the team. They need him to continue this hot streak, and he needs to continue playing well to further showcase to everyone that he is a franchise QB. This is the first time Young has been hurt since his rookie season in which an ankle injury cost him one game.