Improving Xavier Legette may be Panthers' new WR1 with Bryce Young sidelined

Dave Canales’s team suddenly finds itself one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. A lot has changed over the past few days. The Carolina Panthers won their third straight game on Sunday, while Baker Mayfield and company took it on the chinstrap Monday night at Detroit.

In Carolina’s 13-6 road win over the New York Jets, Panthers’ second year wide receiver. Xavier Legette led the team with 11 targets, nine catches, and 92 receiving yards. He also scored the game’s only touchdown via a three-year pass from quarterback Bryce Young in the second quarter.

Young went down late in the third quarter with an ankle injury, so it was veteran Andy Dalton to the rescue in the final 15 minutes. He finished the quarter completing four of his seven throw for 60 yards. All of those completions came in tosses to Legette. He was targeted five times by Dalton in the quarter, and the duo came up with the longest play from scrimmage (33 yards) for the Panthers on Sunday.

Tetairoa and Xavier — Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) and wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) celebrate a touchdown in the second quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

With Young expected to miss this Sunday’s clash with the Buffalo Bills via a high ankle sprain, Dalton is obviously expected to get the nod. If the 15-year hurler does make his first start since Week 7 of 2024, could the Panthers’ 2024 first-round pick be his target of choice?

Rookie Tetairoa McMillan is clearly the team’s top pass-catching option, leading the team with 30 grabs for 418 yards. He’s also one of five Panthers to catch at least two TD passes this season. That list of five also includes Legette, who has overcome an awful start this season.

In the team’s last three games, the second-year wideout has been targeted 16 times and caught 13 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, in those same three contests, McMillan has seen 18 passes his way, good for 12 catches, 135 yards and two TDs. It’s safe to say that the veteran Dalton has two young wideouts at his disposal that are playing solid football these days.

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