Tetairoa McMillan Can Be Fantasy Relevant Immediately With the Panthers

For most of the NFL Draft process, Tetairoa McMillan of Arizona was labeled as the best receiver in the class. As expected, he was the first receiver off of the board, going to the Carolina Panthers at the eighth overall pick.

How does McMillan fit with Bryce Young and company? McMillan will provide a lift to an offense that could use more playmakers.

Tetairoa McMillan NFL Draft Profile

Our Brandon Gdula highlighted some strengths in his Tetairoa McMillan NFL Draft Profile. His 6 foot 4, 219-pound frame is his most appealing trait -- giving him the ability to consistently win contested catches. This goes hand-in-hand with some subpar separation, though.

Top prospects not participating in the NFL Combine was a trend in 2025, but McMillan did turn in a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at his private workout. This is appealing speed for a player known for his ability to high-point target. McMillan enters his rookie season as an exciting possession receiver with the ability to produce big plays.

We saw some elite production from McMillan over his final two collegiate seasons. Following 90 catches for 1,402 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in 2023, Tet recorded 84 receptions for 1,319 receiving yards and 8 receiving touchdowns in 2024.

Overall, McMillan has felt like a prospect whose success could heavily depend on his destination. After being drafted by the Panthers, what is McMillan's rookie outlook?

McMillan's Rookie Year Outlook

As a possession receiver, McMillan's ideal fit was going to be on a team with a versatile target who could work the underneath routes. He should have that with the Panthers.

In Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen, and Jalen Coker, the Panthers had a bunch of respectable role players; McMillan is the first real dude in the room.

That should allow McMillan to command a solid target share in the offense from the jump. And if Bryce Young can maintain the improvements he showed in the back half of 2024, those targets will carry additional weight.

There could have been better landing spots for McMillan from a fantasy perspective, but not many. He'll be heavily involved in an offense with the upside to be efficient, and the Panthers' offense is poor enough where shootouts will come. We should expect McMillan to be fantasy relevant from day one, making this a solid pairing at eighth overall.

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