Miles Sanders News

Sanders' four-year, $25.4 million deal with Carolina made him the NFL's 12th-highest-paid running back, and the Panthers apparently have big plans for their new playmaker. In Indianapolis, Reich had Jonathan Taylor, who was featured as an every-down workhorse. And Panthers OC Thomas Brown had Cam Akers in Los Angeles, who the Rams rode hard for different stretches in recent years. Sanders only saw 26 targets as an early-down back in Philadelphia last season, but it sounds like that number could grow in Carolina. He'll be an attractive fantasy RB2 playing in an offense with a rookie quarterback.

The Carolina Panthers are signing Miles Sanders to a four-year, $25 million contract. The Panthers let D'Onta Foreman walk in free agency, so Sanders should be the clear favorite over Chuba Hubbard to lead the backfield next season. He's coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign and scored more rushing touchdowns last year (11) than his first three seasons combined (9). The Eagles signed Rashaad Penny to replace Sanders in their backfield. According to Mike Clay of ESPN, Sanders leads running backs in rushing EPA since he was taken in the second round of the 2019 draft. He's also first in rushing EPA per carry and fifth in yards per carry (5.0) among 38 backs with 400-plus carries in that span.

After dealing Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers last season, the Panthers went with D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard out of the backfield for the second half of the campaign. Foreman wasn't retained in free agency, so the addition of Sanders indicates that he'll be Carolina's lead runner in 2023. On a team with sparse skill-position talent, Sanders arrives following the first 1,000-yard season of his career, boasting a YPC a shade over 5.0 (5.02, to be precise). Additionally, he hauled in 70.9 percent of his 175 targets for 7.6 yards per catch in 57 appearances since the Eagles took him in the second round of the 2019 Draft.

Sanders left the game early in the first quarter and was spotted jogging back to the locker room. He returned after missing only one series but wasn't effective. In addition to being inefficient on the ground, he dropped his only target, which nearly resulted in a touchdown for the Chiefs. Sanders will now hit free agency, so his ultimate landing spot and potential workload remain unclear for 2023.

San Francisco's offense fell apart after Brock Purdy (elbow) got hurt, leading to a fairly easy win for Philly and a ground-heavy attack fueled by Sanders TDs in the first and second quarters. Kenneth Gainwell actually ended up leading the Eagles in rushing yards, but he saw most of his touches once the game was out of reach. The scores were Sanders' first since Week 14, and he figures to be a key part of the team's game plan Feb. 12 in the Super Bowl.

Sanders began ripping off solid gains beginning on the Eagles' second possession, and he ultimately got some rest in the fourth quarter with Philadelphia comfortably ahead. Sanders' lack of a pass-catching role and his minimal red-zone opportunities do make him a bit of a fantasy wild card, but even with the success of backfield mates Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott on Saturday night, Sanders should still retain a lead role for a conference championship clash versus the Cowboys or 49ers a week from Sunday.