Bryce Young, Adam Thielen, DJ Chark's Fantasy Outlook After Panthers Draft QB

The wait is over—Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is officially the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft for the Carolina Panthers.

And now the real question can be asked: How will his selection affect the fantasy prospects of several members of the Panthers, including wideouts Adam Thielen and DJ Chark?

We'll start with Young, who was fantastic in his college career at Alabama, throwing for 8,356 yards, 80 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions in three seasons, which included winning a national championship in 2020 and the Heisman Trophy in 2021.

But do you really want to trust a rookie quarterback in fantasy?

It's not a safe bet. In the past four seasons, the only rookie quarterback to finish top-10 in fantasy points was Justin Herbert in 2020. He finished ninth.

When Herbert hit the NFL, he had stars like Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler available, not to mention Mike Williams as his No. 2 wideout. Young isn't going to boast that level of weaponry.

He's talented. He's proven. He has a quarterback-whisperer of a head coach in Frank Reich.

But don't draft him to be a QB1. He's better served as your QB2, paired with a reliable top option for your starting lineup.

As for his weapons, Adam Thielen has continued to decline in recent years, is 32 years old and now will be working with a rookie quarterback. In 2022 he still caught a solid 70 passes for 716 yards and six scores, putting him at 30th overall among wideouts in PPR leagues.

He'll see more targets in Carolina, more than likely, freed from the shadow of Justin Jefferson. But are you going to trust him as much with a rookie quarterback?

No, you aren't. Consider him a low-end flex option and little else.

Then there's DJ Chark. Since posting 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight scores in his sophomore season back in 2019, he's failed to make a major impact in fantasy. Injuries have played a part—he's missed 22 games in the past three seasons, and he's already had offseason ankle surgery.

There's no doubt he has talent, and will give Young and the Panthers a field-stretching deep threat. But can he stay healthy? How quickly will he build chemistry with his rookie quarterback, or adjust to a new system?

Too many questions compared to the limited answers he's provided throughout his career. Consider him a risky but intriguing flex consideration.