Miles Sanders, a running back for the Carolina Panthers, has made his return to practice this week after being sidelined for around two weeks with a groin issue. Sanders did not participate in any of Carolina’s three exhibition games before the regular season.
Will fantasy football managers be able to count on him to perform well in the first game of the season, which takes place against the Atlanta Falcons? The following is the most recent information regarding the new Panthers running back’s injury.
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Miles Sanders Injury
Sanders was unable to participate in any of Carolina’s preseason games due to an injury to his groin, however it is unknown when or how precisely the injury occurred. Sanders was a significant offseason signing for the Panthers, and with Bryce Young serving as the team’s starting quarterback, it’s probable that Carolina had high hopes that Sanders would participate in at least some of the preseason games.
However, considering that Sanders has only just begun the first year of his four-year contract with the Panthers, it is understandable that Carolina would choose to proceed with care over its starting running back. The head coach, Frank Reich, has minimized the severity of the injury by referring to it as “a little tweak.” Sanders downplayed the significance of the injury in terms of its influence on his availability, stating that he will “absolutely” be ready for Week 1 of the season.
Around The NFL posted an official tweet which confirms that Miles Sanders suffered Groin Injury.
RB Miles Sanders appears to be back in the mix…
Sanders has been recovering from a groin injury #Panthers | #NFL pic.twitter.com/gBmCUZcOcV
— DaShawn Brown (@DaShawnWSOC9) August 21, 2023
How Does Sanders’ Injury Affect Carolina?
As the new guy in Carolina and a veteran presence on an otherwise young offense, it is reasonable to wonder whether Sanders is showing a touch of overconfidence in his ability to play in Week 1 despite the fact that he is a veteran. Having said that, that is highly unlikely to be the case here. It is significant that Sanders has resumed his participation in the practice.
On top of that, Carolina isn’t really making plans for what would happen if Sanders wasn’t there. Camerun Peoples, a running back with the Carolina Panthers, was among the first players to cut off the roster today. Peoples was the only running back that Carolina selected this offseason among its total of 18 draft picks and undrafted free agents.
If Carolina believes that Sanders is close to 100 percent healthy, then he has a shot to be one of the few three-down backs in the NFL in 2023. It is very evident that the Panthers have great expectations for him.
Reich expressed the belief that Miles have the opportunity and the potential to become one of the team’s playmakers. When it comes to Sanders, North Carolina isn’t just blowing smoke either. Sanders was able to secure a deal for $25.4 million, which places him sixth among all running backs in the league in terms of total value, during an offseason in which the financial respect accorded to senior running backs — or the lack thereof — is a major topic of discussion.
What Repercussions Will This Have On Fantasy Ranking?
To tell you the truth, for the foreseeable future, probably not a lot. You can let out a long sigh of relief now if you have already picked Sanders or if you intend to make a significant investment in him for your fantasy team.
Are you curious to find out more about other people’s injuries? Check out the following links if the answer is yes:
- Satou Sabally Injury: Has She Successfully Rebounded After The Setback?
- Bo Scarbrough Injury: Alabama Running Back Hurts His Leg Against Clemson!
Having said that, even injuries that appear to be relatively minor, such as the one that occurred here, can be a shock to the system when it comes to the dependability of “three-down backs” in the modern NFL. This is especially true in the case of Sanders, as the possibility of him playing full-time is the most tempting aspect of his fantasy profile for the year 2023.
This is not to imply that Sanders is not a talented runner who maintains his consistency over time. His 3,708 rushing yards since making his NFL debut in 2019 rank ninth across the league. In 2022, he was fifth in the NFL with 1,269 yards on the ground, which was also his career high.