Tetairoa McMillan steps into Carolina’s Week 1 role as Bryce Young’s top passing option after Adam Thielen’s trade and Jalen Coker’s IR. Early preseason chemistry with Young supports a real WR3/flex fallback in standard formats if the target share comes his way. Jacksonville’s defense is a favorable opener for a rookie stepping into WR1 duties.

With Xavier Legette at No. 2 and the offense leaning on McMillan, Week 1 could set the tone for McMillan’s rookie season. If the targets materialize, Week 2 could push him toward a high-end WR2 trajectory as Young grows more comfortable distributing looks beyond the rookie.

Endgame upside is the theme: $1 auction steals across QB, RB, WR, and TE anchored to upside over safe floor. Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart headline QBs, with Monangai and Giddens as backfield darts, while Dyami Brown and Elic Ayomanor headline lottery-ticket WRs. Chig Okonkwo offers tight end upside, and several honorees—Bryce Young, Kendre Miller, Sean Tucker, Troy Franklin, Isaac TeSlaa, Theo Johnson—provide late-round paths to value. The piece stresses chasing upside in the late rounds, not boring bees.

Put simply: after rosters solidify, you win by seizing big swings. If one $1 pick hits, you climb; if a few miss, you still have a shot at the trophy. The guide pairs concrete sleeper targets with rationale, plus a reminder to consult 2025 rankings for context and to embrace risk as a path to prize-money value.

Overall, it frames the endgame as the place to innovate: use the $1 tier to craft a roster with ceiling, leverage rookie and system-fit advantages, and let upside carry you through the unpredictable weeks of fantasy football.

Carolina re-signs Hunter Renfrow to fill Jalen Coker’s roster spot after IR quad injury, aiming to stabilize a thin WR corps early in the season. Renfrow’s veteran presence could aid Bryce Young as the Panthers open vs. Jacksonville, especially after Adam Thielen’s trade to Minnesota left a void in the pass game. Renfrow’s Raiders past, ulcerative colitis battle, and return-to-play goal add a compelling backdrop to a WR room featuring Tetairoa McMillan, Legette, Horn Jr., and Tremayne.

Renfrow appeared in two preseason games with Carolina, contributing seven yards on two receptions, signaling potential early involvement. The Panthers’ 53-man decision came as Coker suffered a quad injury, keeping him out at least four games. The schedule begins with Jaguars, Cardinals, Falcons, and Patriots, with Week 5 against the Dolphins offering a key early-depth test for the offense and Young’s progress.

Adam Thielen is back with the Minnesota Vikings after two seasons in Carolina, where he piled up 151 catches, 1,629 yards and nine TDs while linking with Bryce Young. His return reunites a veteran target with a young offense and sets up a clearer path for Jefferson in the Vikings’ aerial attack.

Carolina’s WR room faces a reshuffle as Thielen departs, opening opportunities for younger pass-catchers and underscoring Bryce Young’s development arc. For fantasy managers, the dynamic between Young and his new/old weapons will drive early-season target shares and weekly floor, especially in PPR formats.

The move also colors the Panthers’ offense: a veteran exit forces a recalibration of route concepts and pass-game targets as Young matures, while the Vikings add a trusted veteran to stabilize a young group on the road back to relevancy.