Panthers Revamping WR Corps

March 21, 2008 @ 05:59:36

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Herija C. Green

For the past two years, the Carolina Panthers have been looking for a wide receiver to compliment All-Pro wideout Steve Smith. They thought they had it when they took University of Southern California wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett in last year's draft; however, Jarrett struggled both on and off the field during his inaugural season with the Cats. This year he will have some stiffer competition heading into camp as the team has brought in two free agents, wideouts Muhsin Muhammad (Chicago Bears) and D.J. Hackett (Seattle Seahawks), to bolster their receiving corps. Both these guys hope to give the team some semblance of a balanced attack after they have been forced to rely on Smith and their running game extensively for the past few years.

The Old "New" Guy

Muhammad returns to the Panthers after three seasons in Chicago. Muhammad was originally lured to Chicago following the 2005 season, which was the best of his career. That year he caught 93 passes for 1,405 yards and 16 touchdowns. He should bring some experience to this position and is remarkably durable. He has missed just two games in his past five seasons, including playing in all 32 games over the past two seasons.

Muhammad struggled with the Bears last year, although quarterback problems almost certainly had something to do with that. He shouldn't have any problems with Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (elbow), who he has shown a connection with in the past. Perhaps the best example is from the 2003 Super Bowl when Muhammad and Delhomme hooked up for 140 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown. It is likely Muhammad will function as the team's third receiver, although it is still too early to make any concrete statements.

The Other New Guy

Hackett joins the Panthers after an injury-plagued season with the Seahawks. Hackett was seen as a breakout candidate prior to last year's season before ankle injuries limited him to just six games. In total, he finished the year with just 384 receiving yards and three touchdowns. However, he broke out in the team's Wild Card playoff game, catching six passes for 101 touchdowns and a touchdown.

Hackett is a sure-handed receiver that could function as a possession guy opposite Smith. He lacks prototypical speed but has good size at 6-foot-2 and rarely drops a ball (just one all of last year). His best season came in 2006 when he caught 45 passes for 610 yards. According to his agent, Hackett has been told that he will start at wide receiver this year, although he could still face competition from Muhammad and Jarrett.

The Incumbents

The team hopes the increased competition, as well as the presence of some experienced vets can help Jarrett. With his talent, Jarrett has the potential to make an impact at this level, but he will have to get his head in the game before that happens. Last year he caught just six passes for 73 yards and had no touchdowns. He was also chastised for his poor work ethic and lackadaisical attitude toward studying film. The offseason has already gotten off to a rough start for him with a DWI. This figures to be a big season for Jarrett as he will not be able to write anything off to being a rookie.

The other option for the Panthers is wide receiver Travis Taylor. Taylor, a former top-10 pick, had just one catch for four yards last year for the St. Louis Rams. He could stick as the team's fifth receiver this year, depending on what they do in the draft.

Fantasy Impact

With the addition of some respectable targets at the position, Smith's value takes a jump. No longer will teams be able to double-team him without getting punished by another receiver. This should open the field up more for him and make him a lower-end No. 1 fantasy receiver for 2008.

Hackett is the favorite to take the starting job opposite Smith and should be viewed as a weak No. 3 wide receiver with upside, although there are some concerns about his health. He could be a good fit with Delhomme as he has a similar skill set to Muhammad (who was one of Delhomme's favorite targets earlier this decade). Hackett is also great in the red zone, with three touchdowns in just six games last year.

Muhammad should be viewed as no more than a weak No. 5 wide receiver, unless he can win the starting job. His best days are clearly behind him, and while he could experience a resurgence playing for a winning team (and in a familiar city); he is not a great option at this point. This could change if he wins a starting job or if Hackett goes down with an injury, which is certainly a possibly after an injury-riddled 2007 campaign.

With his offseason problems, Jarrett is someone that should be looked at with skepticism. He has yet to show he can learn, or at least attempt to learn a NFL offense. This doesn't look like it will change anytime soon as these are problems that have plagued him since his days at USC. He is also scheduled to face an April 11 court date regarding his DWI charge. With those kinds of problems, it is hard to see him functioning well this season, especially with the team's win-now mentality. Until he gets things sorted out, Jarrett should be avoided in any fantasy leagues.

One thing that should be noted is these values are contingent on Delhomme returning from the Tommy John surgery he had this past year. All signs point to Delhomme returning on time; however, if he has any other problems with his elbow that knock him out, each receiver's value takes a hit.

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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