Bryce Young will be without one of his key targets as the Carolina Panthers added Ja'Tavion Sanders to the injury report.
Carolina is coming off a dominant 30-0 shutout win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon, earning its first of the season. However, they didn't come out of it unscathed as Sanders suffered a high ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of the matchup.
Team reporter Joe Person provided more on the injury on Monday afternoon. The timeline for the tight end to recover will have him miss several weeks.
“Panthers TE Ja'Tavion Sanders has a high ankle sprain that an MRI exam revealed today, according to a league source. Sanders is expected to miss multiple weeks. He was injured when a Falcons' defender fell on him after a reception in the fourth quarter Sunday,” Person wrote.
Sanders is going through his second NFL season, joining the league in 2024 after the Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the draft. He got eight starts throughout 16 appearances in his rookie campaign, recording 33 receptions for 342 yards and a touchdown.
Sanders continued this activity as he developed chemistry with Young. Three games in before the injury, he made 11 catches for 92 yards.
What lies ahead for Bryce Young, Panthers
It's a tough loss for Bryce Young to have in the offense as he will need to turn to other players to make plays with Ja'Tavion Sanders on the sidelines.
Young is off to a solid start to the 2025 season for his third year in the league. He's completed 69 passes out of 114 attempts for 603 yards and four touchdowns and three interceptions. On the ground, he made nine rushes for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Carolina aspires to be in the playoff hunt, having been absent from postseason action for the last seven years. They will also look to make noise in the NFC South Division, as Young would play a major role in that objective.
The Panthers will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They face the New England Patriots on Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. ET.
