DE Kawann Short is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Panthers play the the Jaguars on Sunday.

Analysis: The Panthers are coming off their best performance of the season as they held the Texans to 264 yards and 10 points in Week 4 while recording six sacks and two takeaways. Carolina is tied for the league-lead with 18 sacks and will be facing a Jaguars offensive line that ranks 20th with 10 sacks allowed. Rookie QB Gardner Minshew has excelled in the absence of Nick Foles (collarbone), making this a middle-of-the-road matchup for Carolina. Minshew suffered a minor knee injury last week but is…read more

Kawann Short (shoulder) and Bruce Irvin (hamstring) are each dealing with injuries that could cause them to miss Sunday's Week 4 matchup with Houston.

Analysis: The Panthers' defense was able to hold Arizona to only 248 total yards and 20 points in their Week 4 victory while also forcing two turnovers. Carolina has given up an average of just 166.3 passing yards per game and has collected 12 sacks, each the second-best marks in the league. Although Houston has averaged just 236.0 passing yards per game so far this season, they possess the weapons to do some damage - like they did against the Chargers in Week 3, passing for 337 yards and three…read more

Kawann Short (undisclosed), Shaq Thompson (undisclosed) and Bruce Irvin (hamstring) are all dealing with injuries that could jeopardize their status for Sunday's matchup with Arizona.

Analysis: While Short, Thompson and Irvin all play in the Panthers' front seven, the secondary is seemingly fully healthy, apart from reserve safety Rashaan Gaulden (groin). Carolina's defense has given up just 372 passing yards through two games this season, good for third-least in the league. The Panthers' secondary will be asked to keep Kyler Murray and the Cardinals' "Air Raid" offense in check this week. Arizona has passed for 604 yards so far this season - ranking them as the seventh-best offense…read more

The Panthers surrendered 30 points and 349 yards in Week 1 as they prepare to play the Buccaneers on Thursday.

Analysis: Carolina trailed 13-0 late in the second quarter despite holding the Rams to 112 yards as all three scoring drives were less than 35 yards. The Panthers forced one turnover and had three sacks and will face a Buccaneers offense that struggled in both areas Week 1 (four turnovers and three sacks allowed). Carolina figures to be a popular defensive choice in Week 2 on a short week of preparation going up against QB Jameis Winston, who threw three interceptions and also fumbled twice Sunday,…read more

LB Bruce Irvin is battling a hamstring injury heading into Sunday's season opener versus the Rams.

Analysis: The Panthers finished 27th in the league with 35 sacks last season, so missing Irvin would be a blow to an already sub-par pass rush. Carolina otherwise was a middle-of-the-pack group in 2018, finishing 18th in total defense (353.2 YPG), 14th in scoring defense (23.9 PPG) and 14th in takeaways (23). LB Luke Keuchly remains one of the best inside linebackers in the league, but Week 1 is likely a matchup to avoid against a potent Rams offense.

The Panthers are looking to improve their pass rush in 2019 after finishing 27th in sacks (35.0) last season.

Analysis: Carolina lost Julius Peppers to retirement in the offseason after he racked up 55 total tackles, 16 sacks, 13 interceptions and four forced fumbles over 32 games in his second stint with the club. The Panthers - in their pursuit of creating a pass rush similar to the unit that notched the third-most sacks (50.0) in the league in 2017 - signed former Buccaneer Gerald McCoy in free agency and drafted Brian Burns out of Florida State in the first round of this year's draft. McCoy is a six-time Pro…read more

The Panthers have forced two turnovers in three straight games. They play the Saints in Week 17.

Analysis: The Saints will likely limit QB Drew Brees' snaps with the No. 1 playoff seed already locked up and instead lean heavily on Teddy Bridgewater. They may also limit RB Alvin Kamara and WR Michael Thomas to just a couple offensive series. Bridgewater is still a quality signal-caller and RB Mark Ingram can handle a full workload, so the Panthers may not be much better off, especially on the road. Frankly, the Panthers have struggled to stop the run lately anyway with at least 115 rushing yards…read more

The Panthers allow opponents to score on 71.4 percent of red-zone trips, ranking 27th in the league. They play the Falcons in Week 16.

Analysis: The Panthers were lit up for 31 points by the Falcons in Week 2 and only forced one turnover. The Falcons have three skilled wide receivers and RB Tevin Coleman shows occasional explosiveness. Atlanta doesn't offer much in the turnover department, either, coughing up the ball just 15 times to rank sixth in the league. The Panthers should be able to contain Coleman with their seventh-ranked run defense, but the passing game could get out of hand especially with a reasonable possibility of a…read more

The Panthers rank tied for 24th in the NFL in points allowed (25.5 per game) heading into Monday's game against the Saints.

Analysis: The Saints had a slow start against he Buccaneers last week and scored only 10 points the week prior against the Cowboys, as Drew Brees and the offense seem poised for a breakout effort in the final weeks of the regular season. The Panthers are mired in a five-game losing streak and have only three takeaways in that stretch, two of which came in last week's loss to the Browns. Carolina's strength is their rush defense (97.8 YPG), as they otherwise rank in the middle of the pack in most…read more

The Panthers have held their last three opponents under 100 rushing yards. They play the Browns in Week 14.

Analysis: Browns RB Nick Chubb only has two 100-yard outings on his resume this year, but he features touchdowns in four straight games. He'll give the Panthers plenty to handle while QB Baker Mayfield continues to light it up with eight passing scores in the last three contests. Mayfield chucked three interceptions in Week 13, but the Panthers don't appear to have the ball hawks to harvest on the rookie's vulnerability with only one turnover since Week 9. The Browns no longer trigger a must-start for…read more

The Panthers haven't forced a turnover in three weeks. They play the Buccaneers in Week 13.

Analysis: In the two teams' matchup earlier this year, the Bucs started QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now, they'll have Jameis Winston under center. Winston provides just as much upside for opposing defenses with a 10:11 TD:INT ratio in six games while adding a fumble as well. Despite their turnover prowess, the Bucs have scored 27 points in all but two games this year and rank first in the league with 454 total yards per game. There's low upside no matter who's under center, and the Panthers don't appear capable…read more

The Panthers have allowed opponents to score on 81.5 percent of red-zone trips, ranking 31st in the league. They play the Seahawks in Week 12.

Analysis: On the other hand, the Seahawks have been superb in the red zone with a 71-percent conversion rate. Partially due to the Seahawks' commitment to the run -- they rank first in run attempts and last in pass attempts -- they haven't scored over 31 points in a game this season. Nevertheless, they've been quite consistent and rarely turn the ball over with just nine in 10 games. The solid foundation of a defensive barn burner lifts the Panthers D/ST into fantasy contention, but owners shouldn't…read more

The Panthers allowed 52 points to the Steelers in Week 10. They play the Lions in Week 11.

Analysis: It's hard to put a game like last week's in the past, but the Panthers have a confidence-building opportunity in Week 11. The Lions have been atrocious lately, averaging 15 points per game and turning the ball over seven times over the last three weeks. Their offensive line has hung QB Matthew Stafford out to dry, too, as he was dropped 17 times in that span. The Panthers pass rush is inconsistent, but this outing could help right the ship, especially since Detroit's defense is vulnerable in…read more