Is Jalen Coker Playing Tonight? Latest Injury Update on Carolina Panthers WR For Week 4

The Carolina Panthers went into the weekend ahead of the Week 4 game against the Detroit Lions with a question mark in wide receiver Jalen Coker.

Coker came down with a quadriceps injury in the Week 3 defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Browns, which was certainly not his first rodeo with the injury during his three-year career.

After not practicing to begin the week, Coker ended up turning in two limited practices on Thursday and Friday before he was given the questionable tag for Week 4.

With Coker playing on Sunday night this week, our fantasy football folks out there need to know sooner rather than later if he's going to play. Here's what we know about that.

Is Jalen Coker playing today?

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker. — Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) makes a catch defended by Cleveland Browns cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (29) during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Coker is "unlikely to play" in Week 4.

"Panthers WR Jalen Coker, listed as questionable for Sunday night’s game vs. the Lions due to a quad injury, is unlikely to play," Schefter wrote.

The writing was on the wall on Saturday that Coker wouldn't go.

During the week, Canales said if the Panthers elevate wideout Ja'seem Reed from the practice squad for Week 4, that would mean Coker isn't expected to play.

On Saturday, the Panthers elevated Reed from the practice squad.

"Also, Panthers elevating WR Ja'seem Reed and CB Robert Rochell from practice squad," The Athletic's Joe Person said on Saturday. "Dave Canales said they would only bring Reed up if Jalen Coker (quad) couldn't play vs. the Lions."

Truth be told, this is the right move by the Panthers. The last thing they can do is risk Coker making his injury worse and missing an extended period of time.

Fantasy impact of Jalen Coker's absence

With Coker not expected to play, that puts the Panthers in a really tough spot at wide receiver, as Xavier Legette is also out because of a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve.

As far as healthy wide receivers go, Tetairoa McMillan is tops on the team in terms of expected targets. He should be in fantasy football lineups regardless, but upgrade him with Coker not expected to play.

The other receivers the Panthers will be trotting out there, David Moore, Brycen Tremayne, John Metchie and Ja'seem Reed, are not viable fantasy football starting options for Week 4.

If you do somehow find yourself in a desperate enough situation that you have to start one of those players, roll with Tremayne, who led Carolina in receiving yards last week with McMillan struggling and Coker exiting early.

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