Ja’Tavion Sanders Shining During Training Camp

What They're Saying

Kaye: “Sanders might be the offensive MVP of camp thus far. After weighing around 255 pounds during his rookie year, Sanders has dropped to around 238 pounds for his second training camp. The body transformation is showing up vividly in practice, as Sanders looks leaner, faster and more muscular this summer.

With Tommy Tremble (PUP/back) sidelined, Sanders has made the most of his additional first-team reps. He’s catching passes in droves, and he is adding yards after the catch with regularity. The Panthers need more from their tight end room this year, and Sanders has been one of the brightest stars in camp.”

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

It’s a welcomed development for Carolina, and Kaye was spot on: the Panthers need a lot more from their tight end room. This past season, tight ends accounted for just 16.6% of Carolina’s targets, the seventh-lowest rate in the league. Sanders himself saw just 2.7 targets per game as a rookie, though he did take on a larger role when the team was without TE Tommy Tremble. 

From Weeks 6-10, Tremble played just one game. During that stretch, Sanders averaged 4.2 targets, 42.4 receiving yards and 9.0 PPR points per game, while drawing a target on nearly 22% of his routes. But if you remove the game Tremble did play during that span, Sanders’ target rate climbs to 25.6%, while averaging five targets and nearly 11 fantasy points per contest. 

Between the late-season emergence of QB Bryce Young and now the glowing camp reports surrounding Sanders, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the 22-year-old TE. Rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan figures to comfortably lead this team in targets, but it sure sounds like Sanders is in line for a larger role in year two.

Consider him a deep sleeper in redraft formats but in terms of dynasty leagues, Sanders appears to be on the rise.