Fantasy Upside
Devin Funchess had an underwhelming rookie year, finishing with 31 catches and 473 yards, but he did have five touchdowns and was better in the second half of the season than in the first. All of his scores and 24 of his receptions came in the last nine games. Funchess should stand a good chance of challenging Ted Ginn Jr. for a starting role opposite Kelvin Benjamin, and year 2 is often a progression year for receivers. Funchess has size and leaping ability, which bodes well playing with a quarterback like Cam Newton, who tends to sail the ball a bit.
Fantasy Downside
Funchess is still a bit of a raw prospect, even though he showed flashes during his rookie season. His upside is limited, as the Panthers run the ball a ton and have Benjamin returning to the WR1 spot on the roster. Tight end Greg Olsen will also get his targets, so Funchess – at best – is looking at being the third option in a passing offense that ranked 24th in yards last season.
2016 Bottom Line
Funchess could be a break-out candidate if the Panthers once again rank in the top five in passing touchdowns and if he can beat out Ginn Jr. and Corey Brown for a starting spot on the outside. However, he could also struggle to get enough targets to put up consistent fantasy numbers on a team that prefers to run the ball. His ADP is in the 13-16th round territory, making him a quality backup option on your fantasy roster with upside that justifies mid-late round value in most leagues.
Super Bowl vs. Denver
Devin Funchess had a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game against the Cardinals and he’s looked much better later in the season than he did early in. Funchess only caught two passes for 21 yards though to go with his score, and he remains the third (at best) option in the Panther receiving corps. Against the league’s top defense in passing yards allowed this week, don’t expect Funchess to be particularly dominant. He’s a boom bust option in the Super Bowl and is more likely to end up being a bust in most leagues. Fantasy owners should use him with extreme caution, and would probably be better looking to Denver at the receiver position if possible.
NFC Championship vs. Arizona
Devin Funchess had only one catch for 12 yards last week against the Seahawks as the Panthers got up early in the game and ran conservatively throughout the entire second half. Funchess showed flashes toward the end of the season and Panther fans are hoping he can be a difference maker in the near future, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him against the Cardinals this week. Arizona is eighth in the league in passing yards allowed and none of the Carolina receivers get consistent enough looks to be legit fantasy options. Owners should look to another team this week, and leave the Carolina receiving corps alone.
Week 19 vs Seattle
Devin Funchess had his moments this season and finished the year fairly strong, including a seven catch, 120 yard performance against the Bucs, which included a 16 yard touchdown pass to end the regular season. Funchess scored five touchdowns in his last nine games and he’s definitely trending up on the roster.
This week may be too risky for the rookie out of Michigan however. He’ll face the league’s best pass defense, as no one allowed less touchdown passes to opposing teams this year than the Seahawks. Funchess has some upside, but he will find it tough going against a talented secondary and should be considered a very risky option in most leagues. Fantasy owners should probably avoid the risk.
Week 13 vs. New Orleans
Devin Funchess has looked promising since taking over a starting role on the outside for the Panthers. He hasn’t put up big numbers, but he had a nice 15 yard catch last week, and he caught a touchdown two weeks ago. He finished last week’s matchup with the Cowboys with only two catches and 19 yards, but seems to be solidifying his spot in the lineup.
This week, Funchess has a great matchup against the Saints woeful pass defense, and he’s an intriguing sleeper option for fantasy owners. However, he’s too much of a risk to count on in most leagues, and we don’t recommend him as anything more than long term keeper or dynasty stash material for most fantasy owners until he shows something.
Week 12 at Dallas
Devin Funchess got his first career start last week against Washington, and he turned in a nice performance, catching four of the eight balls thrown his way and ending up with 64 yards and a touchdown on the day. It’s early, but the big rookie showed an ability to get off the line against press coverage last week, which was a concern for him coming into the league.
This week, Funchess will face a tougher secondary. The Cowboys have allowed the 10th least amount of passing yards per game this season, and Carolina will likely find it harder to move the ball. Still, Funchess is worth an add to your roster as the Panthers continue to try and find an elite WR to replace the injured Kelvin Benjamin. He’s a little too risky to count on in your lineup as anything more than a potential desperation start at the WR3 spot, but he’s worth keeping an eye on.
Week 1 vs. Jacksonville
The Panthers may look to rookie WR Devin Funchess early on to replace the injured Kelvin Benjamin, but he is not currently labeled a starter. What he is though, is a big target for QB Cam Newton who may become a red zone threat if he can earn snaps.
In all likelihood, Funchess may not start, but he should get just as many snaps as slated starter Ted Ginn in offensive sets. As a second round pick, the Panthers will hope he can get up to speed quickly and help out an offense that struggled to stay on the field a year ago. Funchess is probably the best Panthers WR to own in most fantasy leagues, but we recommend staying away from starting any of the Carolina receiving corps in the short term.
The Panthers were going for size when they made Devin Funchess their second round pick in the draft this year. The 6’4 receiver out of Michigan will look to replace the injured Kelvin Benjamin, lost for the season with an ACL tear, and the Panthers are hoping Funchess can have a similar impact this year to what Benjamin did a year ago.
Fantasy Upside
Funchess has strong hands, excellent ball location ability, and the potential to be an elite red zone threat in the NFL, despite only averaging five touchdowns per season in college. He also will have every opportunity to earn a starting job in Carolina with a slew of young players and journeyman veterans all fighting for snaps to replace the injured Benjamin. Funchess should be the most talented option for the Panthers, and he could see playing time early on.
Fantasy Downside
There may only be so many targets to go around in Carolina, with tight end Greg Olsen getting most of the looks. The Panthers will likely try to pound the ball on the ground as much as possible, which may limit Funchess’ ability to get more than four or five targets per game, even if he wins the starting job. Funchess also lacks explosiveness, relying on his size. Time will tell whether he can get off the line against press coverage, which is sometimes a problem for bigger, slow-footed receivers.
Bottom Line
Opportunity rules, and since Funchess could be in line for a starting role, he deserves to be on fantasy radars. However, his ability to make a huge impact in his rookie season may be affected by a ground and pound team concept. His value improves dramatically after the Kelvin Benjamin injury, but it remains to be seen if Funchess will be able to make a great impact early on. He should be targeted as a priority bench WR in fantasy leagues due to the opportunity in front of him.
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