XavierLegette

News: 6 days agoCoach Dave Canales said Thursday following the Hall of Fame Game that Legette (neck) "feels great" and is healthy, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Spin: While Legette didn't play in the exhibition opener Thursday night against Arizona, Canales said the wide receiver is "back" and ready to return after being diagnosed with a neck stinger earlier in the week when he was carted off the practice field. With rookie Chris Brazzell (knee) already ruled out for the 2026 season, Legette will compete for WR3 duties in Carolina. He's been a disappointment through two seasons, totaling 84 catches for 860 yards and seven touchdowns across 31 regular-season games since being selected No. 32 overall in the 2024 Draft.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Legette is eyeing a Year 3 leap after a boom/bust start to his NFL career. The 2024 first-round pick flashed with 521 yards and four touchdowns on 55 touches as a rookie, but fell to 363 yards and three scores on 36 touches in 2025. Legette did post a pair of big games (24.2 points in Week 7 and 18.3 points in Week 11), but was otherwise held in check (3.6 PPG in the other 13 games). Legette has struggled with the ball in his hands (woeful 2.1 RAC in his career) and is behind Tetairoa McMillan and likely Jalen Coker on the Carolina WR depth chart. The 25-year-old will see some situational targets and carries, but he'll need a big Year 3 leap to find his way to fantasy relevance. He's no more than a late-round lottery ticket.