Panthers' Miles Sanders: Productive in return to action
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Sanders rushed 17 times for 66 yards and a touchdown and brought in three of four targets for 50 yards and another score in the Panthers' 44-38 overtime win over the Falcons on Sunday. He also fumbled once, but possession remained with Carolina.
Making his return from a six-game absence, Sanders had fresh legs and an exuberant play style in the wild regular-season finale. Sanders visited the end zone as both a rusher and receiver, striking via a 33-yard scoring reception and a game-winning one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and overtime, respectively. Sanders has had a rollercoaster first two seasons in Carolina due to both performance issues and injury, but he'll presumably have a chance for a clean slate and a healthy season in 2025.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: To start in return to lineup
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Sanders (ankle) is listed as active and expected to start Sunday at Atlanta, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
In his first game action since he sprained his ankle Week 10 against the Giants, Sanders is in line to sit atop the backfield, what with both Chuba Hubbard (knee) and Jonathon Brooks (knee) on injured reserve and Velus Jones (coach's decision) inactive. Sanders will be vying with Raheem Blackshear (11 carries this season) and Mike Boone (nine) for touches Sunday. However, considering Sanders has 38 rushes and 21 receptions (on 26 targets) in 10 games on the campaign, he likely should be the top option among the trio.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Activated off IR
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Sanders (ankle) was activated off injured reserve Saturday and remains questionable for Sunday's contest against the Falcons, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Presumably, Sanders wouldn't be activated off injured reserve unless the team intended to play the veteran, but it's unclear if Raheem Blackshear, who got the start in replace of the injured Chuba Hubbard (knee) last week, will still get the first crack at the starting job Sunday. Sanders could be a cap causality this offseason, so from that standpoint the team theoretically should be more invested in the development of Blackshear, but this overall could be a messy backfield, with Mike Boone and Velus Jones also chipping in a few snaps as well.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Listed as questionable
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Sanders (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Falcons.
Designated to return from injured reserve earlier this week, Sanders was a full practice participant Wednesday and Friday, sandwiched around a limited session Thursday. He's the favorite to operate as Carolina's lead back this Sunday in what might end up being his final game for the team. If they don't end up activating Sanders, the Panthers likely will start Raheem Blackshear while bringing Mike Boone and Velus Jones off the bench.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Limited Thursday
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Sanders (ankle) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Carolina designated Sanders for return from injured reserve Wednesday, after which he was a full participant in his return to drills. The downgrade in work may be related to a lack of conditioning, but his status nonetheless bears watching to see if he'll be able to join a backfield that lost Jonathon Brooks (knee) and Chuba Hubbard (knee) for the season over the last month. At the moment, Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone and Velus Jones are the healthy running backs on the Panthers' active roster ahead of Sunday's game in Atlanta.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Full practice Wednesday
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Sanders (ankle), who was designated for return from injured reserve, practiced fully Wednesday, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
The Panthers officially designated Sanders for return from IR on Wednesday, two days after head coach Dave Canales told David Newton of ESPN.com that the running back had a chance to return to action Week 18. Sanders has been sidelined since Week 10, and he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry on his 38 totes prior to suffering a sprained ankle. However, with Chuba Hubbard (knee) and Jonathon Brooks (knee) on IR, Sanders would be the most accomplished back for Carolina if he's activated for Sunday's game in Atlanta. Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone and Velus Jones are the current healthy options at the position.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Week 18 Waiver Priority List
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Sanders could return in Week 18 at Atlanta after missing the past six games with an ankle injury. And if he's healthy, he would likely be the No. 1 running back for the Panthers with Chuba Hubbard (calf) out, making him a flex option in deeper leagues. If Sanders can't play, then Raheem Blackshear (10 percent rostered) would start again for Carolina, but he struggled in Week 17 at Tampa Bay with eight carries for 20 yards and no targets.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Will return to practice this week
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Sanders (ankle), who remains on IR, will practice this week and could play in Sunday's Week 18 season finale against Atlanta, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales indicated Monday that Sanders was cleared to return to the field last week and said the veteran running back will practice this week. While Canales didn't state that Sanders will play Sunday against the Falcons, the head coach also didn't rule hm out. Sanders hasn't logged game action since hurting his ankle Week 10 against the Giants and landing on IR a few weeks later. If Sanders does suit up Sunday, he'd be added to a Carolina running-back room that recently lost Chuba Hubbard (calf/knee) and currently consists of Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone and Velus Jones.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Lands on IR
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The Panthers placed Sanders (ankle) on injured reserve Saturday.
Sanders had already been ruled out for Sunday's Week 12 game against Kansas City after spraining his ankle against the Giants in Week 10 prior to Carolina's Week 11 bye. He wasn't able to practice at all this week, and his move to IR means Sanders won't be eligible to return to game action until Sunday, Dec. 22 versus Arizona. His absence comes as rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) appears set to make his NFL debut Sunday while serving as the Panthers' No. 2 back behind Chuba Hubbard.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Won't face Kansas City
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Sanders (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Chiefs.
Sanders was carted off the field two weeks ago in Germany against the Giants. While he avoided a serious injury, Sanders is going to miss at least one contest. The Panthers are expected to have rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) available this week alongside Chuba Hubbard.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Misses another practice
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Sanders (ankle) didn't participate in Thursday's practice.
Sanders has been a spectator for both of the Panthers' first two Week 12 practices and looks to be trending toward sitting out Sunday's game against the Chiefs, just as head coach Dave Canales had intimated would be the case earlier in the week. Before Sanders is formally ruled out for the Week 12 contest, the Panthers will wait and see what, if anything, he's able to do during Friday's practice session. Sanders will likely cede the top backup role out of the backfield to rookie second-round pick Jonathon Brooks (knee), who has been a full participant in practices this week and should be ready to make his NFL debut Sunday as a change-of-pace option behind starter Chuba Hubbard.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Unlikely for Week 12
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Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Monday that Sanders (foot/ankle) is considered week-to-week and is unlikely to play Sunday against the Chiefs, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Sanders was carted off the field with the lower-body injury during the Panthers' Week 10 overtime win over the Giants on Nov. 10, with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reporting three days later that the running back was viewed as day-to-day. Despite having the benefit of a Week 11 bye to aid in his recovery, Sanders' injury looks to be more significant than the Panthers initially believed, as he wasn't on the field for the team's unofficial practice session Monday, per Joe Person of The Athletic. Sanders has been serving as the top backup to lead back Chuba Hubbard this season, but rookie second-round pick Jonathon Brooks (knee) is poised to make his NFL debut Sunday and could retain the No. 2 role even once Sanders is back to full health.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Viewed as day-to-day
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Sanders is considered day-to-day after undergoing extensive tests on his foot and ankle and meeting with a specialist Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Rapoport's report doesn't offer a precise diagnosis for the lower leg injury that Sanders suffered in this past Sunday's overtime win over the Giants, but the Panthers aren't expecting the running back to be in store for a long absence. Sanders will benefit from a Week 11 bye, but he'll need the swelling in his foot/ankle to go down before he's cleared to resume practicing. Even if Sanders is ready to go for the Panthers' next game Nov. 24 versus the Chiefs in Week 12, he could drop to third on the depth chart in the backfield behind Chuba Hubbard and rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee), the latter of whom is likely to be ready to make his NFL debut.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Seeing specialist
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Head coach Dave Canales said that Sanders will visit a specialist Monday for his knee/foot injury, Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340 reports.
Sanders played six offensive snaps and rushed twice for five yards before exiting Sunday's overtime win over the Giants with the injury. Canales also noted the team doesn't have much information on Sanders' injury at the moment, but they should know more following Monday's visit. The Panthers have a Week 11 bye, giving Sanders an extra week to recover regardless of the severity of his issue.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Exits Sunday's game
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Sanders (foot/ankle) was forced out of Sunday's game against the Giants and won't return, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Prior to being carted off the field, Sanders carried twice for five yards. In his absence, Raheem Blackshear is available to work behind lead back Chuba Hubbard.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Rough outing in win
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Sanders rushed twice for minus-5 yards in Sunday's 23-22 win over the Saints. He also caught both of his targets for minus-5 yards.
Sanders was highly inefficient in the Panthers' second win of the season Sunday, losing yardage on three of his four touches. He appeared to be one of Bryce Young's favorite targets after posting a team-high seven catches in Week 8's loss to the Broncos; however, he was targeted just twice in Week 9. Expect Sanders to continue seeing little offensive work in Week 10's matchup against the Giants, especially with 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks (knee) potentially making his NFL debut.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Week 9 Waiver Priority List
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There's a chance Sanders could traded to a new NFL team with the trade deadline Nov. 5, and you should add him in deeper Fantasy leagues if you have an open roster spot. With the right team, Sanders could once again regain Fantasy value, and he did just catch seven passes for 38 yards on seven targets in Week 8 at Denver. He's worth 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Career high in catches Sunday
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Sanders gained seven yards on his lone carry but caught all seven of his targets for 38 yards in Sunday's 28-14 loss to the Broncos.
With Bryce Young back under center for the Panthers, Sanders wound up leading the team in receptions as he became the top check-down option for the second-year QB. The seven grabs were a career high for the sixth-year RB, but he came into Sunday with only 12 catches on 17 targets over the prior seven games. The performance still could be a preview of Sanders' role in the second half of 2024 if Young remains the starting quarterback, especially if Chuba Hubbard gets traded to make room for rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) as Carolina's early-down back.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Heavily involved Sunday
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Sanders rushed once for seven yards in Sunday's 28-14 loss to the Broncos. He also caught all seven of his targets for 38 yards.
The 27-year-old running back greatly benefitted from Bryce Young serving as the Panthers' top signal-caller in Week 8, as Sanders saw increased opportunities through the air. He led Carolina in receptions and tied rookie Xavier Legette for the most targets. While Sanders' increased usage Sunday is intriguing, his role is expected to dwindle in the coming weeks with 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks (knee) returning from injury.
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Panthers' Miles Sanders: Sees limited work again in Week 6
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Sanders took three carries for one yard and caught one pass for 12 yards in Sunday's 38-20 loss to the Falcons.
The second-year Panther was an afterthought once again in Carolina's Week 6 loss, as Chuba Hubbard posted another efficient near-100 yard rushing performance. Sanders has now seen just eight total touches across the Panthers' last two games, and his workload will likely continue to decrease with Jonathon Brooks (knee) expected to return to practice next week.
