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The Athletic Football Show fantasy football takes on Bryce Young
Every source-backed podcast insight STACKED has extracted from The Athletic Football Show about Bryce Young.
16
Insights
7
Positive
5
Negative
Insight ledger
All The Athletic Football Show insights about Bryce Young
PositiveRoleOct 8, 2026
Under new play caller Brad Idzik, Bryce Young has performed significantly better than expected; the source credits Idzik's scheme—featuring RPOs, strategic personnel usage, and a cohesive blend of heavy and spread formations—with maximizing Young's strengths and building an offense that believes in his ceiling rather than merely protecting him, contrasting sharply with the previous year's more conservative approach.PositiveProjectionOct 8, 2026
Had a monster day against the Falcons in week two; the source uses this performance as an example of how context shifts as more information emerges about opposing defenses, suggesting Young's strong outing was even more impressive than initially recognized given the Falcons defense's subsequent poor performance.PositiveRoleOct 7, 2026
Bryce Young, a Notre Dame defensive tackle and son of Hall of Famer Bryant Young, is part of a strong Irish defensive line alongside Bubakar Traore. The source notes he can play and will be tested in an upcoming matchup against Stanford's elite left tackle Nicky Prongos.PositiveProjectionOct 6, 2026
Young had a strong performance in Week 4 against the Lions despite the Panthers offense operating with significant injuries along the offensive line, including backup left guard play after Rowe Freeling, Moten, Coker, and Damian Lewis were unavailable. Brad Idzik noted the offense's ability to sustain and execute over two years despite moving pieces along the line was "incredibly impressive stuff across the board."PositiveProjectionOct 6, 2026
Seventh in the NFL in EPA per dropback through four games; demonstrated significant improvement over his first two seasons with the Panthers. Showed ability to stand in the pocket under pressure, find windows to throw around defenders, and make aggressive downfield throws. Completed 9 of 11 for 95 yards against the blitz with 8 air yards per attempt and 2.67 time to throw, indicating he's playing faster while pushing the ball downfield rather than living underneath. Analysts note this represents genuine growth and not just a hot streak, though they want to see sustained performance over a longer period before fully committing to the improvement.PositiveProjectionOct 5, 2026
The source praises Bryce Young's performance in the Panthers-Lions Sunday night game, describing it as 'a really impressive performance' and 'what a game from Bryce Young.' The flashes from Young are characterized as 'incredibly exciting,' and the source expresses enthusiasm about digging into his performance in detail on the next show.NegativeValueOct 1, 2026
The source questions whether Bryce Young's current 11th-ranked EPA per play performance represents a true spike worthy of long-term investment. For the source to believe in Young long-term, the spike would need to be top-four or top-five. The source is hesitant about paying Young $55 million annually because it's unclear if he could be an MVP-caliber quarterback in the right circumstances, even if he can be a viable starter.NegativeRoleOct 1, 2026
Bryce Young was unplayable for the first 20 starts of his career in a very bad situation, but over the last year and a half the Panthers improved the offensive line, added receivers like Terrell McMillan and Jalen Coker, and brought in Darren Waller. Combined with reps and offensive refinement, Young now looks functional and the offense looks like a solid NFL unit.NegativeProjectionOct 1, 2026
The source describes Bryce Young as a fascinating but uncertain case: while Young is showing the best version of himself this year, the source questions whether he has enough time to become an elite quarterback. Young is a good athlete with very good spatial awareness, but his physical tools are not particularly special, making it harder to see him holding top-10 or top-12 quarterback status long-term.NegativeProjectionSep 29, 2026
Young showed improvement in quick-game execution this season compared to last year; on throws of 1-12 yards under 2.5 seconds to throw, he ranks third in EPA per play and 12th in success rate (vs. 39th and 33rd last year), suggesting he's not ruining plays with quick decisions; however, he struggles when the pocket collapses and space condenses, particularly against aggressive pass rushes like the Browns, where he can't navigate interior space as effectively as taller quarterbacks.PositiveRoleSep 24, 2026
Bill Barnwell notes that Bryce Young has shown improved processing speed and a better understanding of how to find space in the pocket, which are critical for his survival given his physical limitations. While Barnwell remains cautious about calling him a top-five passer, he believes Young is demonstrating a viable path to being a long-term answer at quarterback, supported by a more aggressive offensive scheme under play-caller Brad Idzik that has increased deep-ball attempts to 19.4%.NegativeProjectionSep 23, 2026
Bryce Young serves as a size and playstyle comparison for Trinidad Chambliss. While Young has an edge in processing, Chambliss possesses a stronger arm. Young's success in the NFL provides a baseline for how smaller quarterbacks can adapt.NegativeUsageSep 10, 2026
The source notes that the Panthers' offensive line is heavily banged up, creating uncertainty about their ability to run the ball effectively in week one against the Bears.NegativeProjectionAug 31, 2026
The source views Bryce Young as a potential reclamation project, suggesting that if he can reach a 'Sam Darnold level' of play, the Panthers could become competitive in the NFC, though this outcome is considered a remote best-case scenario.NegativeProjectionAug 31, 2026
The source expresses significant skepticism regarding Bryce Young's long-term viability, noting he has never ranked better than the 25th best quarterback in the NFL and the team has struggled with explosive pass plays throughout his tenure.NegativeProjectionAug 25, 2026
The source remains skeptical of Young's long-term viability as a starter, noting he has been a bottom-5 or 6 quarterback by most metrics throughout his career. While the team picked up his fifth-year option for financial flexibility, the source believes his ceiling is likely a middle-of-the-pack 'quarterback 20' and that the Panthers will likely seek competition or an upgrade in 2027.