Who Should I Start? JuJu Smith-Schuster or John Metchie III

Friday, August 7, 9:00 AM

Carolina Panthers wide receiver John Metchie III, who is with his fourth different NFL team in 2026 in a little more than 11 months, had a 19-yard rush and a 36-yard kick return in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. With rookie wideout Chris Brazzell II (knee) already ruled out for the 2026 season, The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye suggests that Metchie has a real shot to compete for the WR3 role this year in Carolina behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. The 26-year-old's primary competition will be Xavier Legette, a former first-rounder who has disappointed in his first two years in the NFL. If Metchie makes more noise in training camp and the preseason, he could have a role in the slot with the Panthers, although it wouldn't generate enough volume for the former second-rounder from Alabama to be much more than a bench stash in deeper redraft formats. In 16 games with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans in 2025, Metchie had career highs with 33 catches, 274 yards, and two touchdowns on 48 targets.