The Carolina Panthers are watching quarterback Bryce Young elevating himself into a better position. Young even overheard “MVP!” chants during Carolina's 32-26 home win over the Detroit Lions Sunday. ESPN NFL Draft and fantasy football expert Field Yates is one who's observing the rise out in Charlotte.
Yates admits there was time he thought way differently about Young. Which he shared exclusively with ClutchPoints as part of his “Crunchtime” promotion with Red Baron pizza.
“I was getting nervous, I'm not going to lie to you,” Yates said in reflecting back on the rough stretches Young endured. “I liked Bryce, obviously. But after a couple of years you're sitting there saying to yourself ‘They paid how much to move up and get Bryce Young?' That's big load to pay for a player who might not be the guy for your future.”
Tracing back to Bryce Young obstacle
Carolina placed Young on the bench during head coach Dave Canales' first season. Many analysts and fans wrote off the 2023 Panthers first rounder from there. Yates himself admits he grew a state of nervousness for the direction Young was going.
But Young is now a 3,000-yard passer and NFC South champion QB. And he looked surgical against the Lions with throwing for 329 yards and two touchdowns. Yates, however, drew an eye-opening lesson on quarterback development which comes attached to Young here.
Article Continues Below“But I think what Bryce Young's recent play reminds us of is if you invest in a quarterback, and you believe he's going to have the starter skills to be an awesome player, do not slow down with your development. Just keep on doing it,” Yates said. “It's not going to be this clear cut trajectory all the time. Sometimes, it takes some peaks and valleys to get a player where you like him to be.”
Yates adds how Carolina earns credit for maintaining its own confidence and belief in Young, leading to the now fourth-year QB to hit Cam Newton numbers and rewrite the narrative attached to him.
Meanwhile, Yates' “Crunchtime” promotion for Red Baron is part of the brand's “Field Access” plan. So fans can earn a weekly one-on-one strategy sessions with the fantasy expert himself. This promotion helps fantasy players set their squads for a championship run. More information is located here.