Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) talks on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Fantasy Football: Panthers QB Bryce Young named Week 1 waiver wire target

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The last time we saw Bryce Young on the field in a game that meant anything he was on fire. The Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback went off on the Atlanta Falcons for 251 passing yards, five total touchdowns and a career-high 36.4 fantasy football points.

However, by that point in the year the vast majority of fantasy football players were already done with their respective seasons, so his performance was largely overlooked by this community. Young's huge game against Atlanta didn't come out of nowhere, though. Young was also sharp his previous two starts, coinciding with a larger upward trend since he returned to the lineup midseason.

Nevertheless, Young is flying under the radar for most fantasy owners. According to Pro Football Network, he's rostered in just 27% of leagues. That makes him a sneaky waiver wire add for Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"Young steps into Week 1 with a revamped offense, headlined by first-round WR Tetairoa McMillan. After a rookie season lost to offensive dysfunction, Young improved considerably as a sophomore. He could be poised for a third-year leap... It’s very easy to see Young throw for 200-plus yards and two touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars."

The Jaguars have a new head coch in Liam Coen, which is always a bit of a wild card. However, last season Jacksonville ranked 30th in fantasy points allowed to quartbacks. Assuming their defense hasn't made a sudden dramatic turnaround, that likely makes them a soft target this year - especially in Week 1 when there's no recent film to go on.

Overall, Young is still going to have to prove himself a bit more before he becomes a regular fantasy starter. A good debut against Jacksonville would likely bring a huge boost to his ownership, though - so it would be wise to get in early and bank on his upside.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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