Carolina Panthers: Buy the Devin Funchess hype

When Carolina Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess came out of the University of Michigan, he did so with many concerns. His work ethic, hands, and future position were all called into question, and it looked like the critics had won out when he struggled to make an initial impact in the NFL.

But with each passing game, Devin Funchess grew into the league, and he started to play a key role for the Carolina Panthers down the stretch. After never catching more than two passes in a single game during the entire first half of the season, Funchess pulled a 71-yard day on three catches against the Green Bay Packers in Week 9, scoring a touchdown in the process.

Just 22, the 6’4″, 225-pound beast should be the Panthers third-best pass-catcher behind Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin in 2016, and the team itself isn’t hiding the fact that he continues to make strides.

According to Panthers official site beat writer Max Henson, head coach Ron Rivera quipped that Funchess is “light years” ahead of where he was in his first season.

Rivera said WR Devin Funchess is "light years" ahead of where he was as a rookie. Been one of Rivera's OTA standouts.
— Max Henson (@maxhenson) June 7, 2016

It’s easy for someone like me who was a fan of Funchess’s from Day 1 to tout him as a breakout candidate, but he is starting to gain fans among Panthers supporters after shaking off that rough start. Drops will continue to be a problem for him, but drops are the most overrated stat in the NFL. Since most people find it difficult to criticize a receiver’s routes or work at the catch point (two far more important traits), they go after the easiest negative outcome to understand and see in a tweet from a beat writer: drops.

More from Carolina Panthers

Th drops will continue to be an issue for Funchess, but it is important to realize that the Panthers care more about other stats. This is a team that drafted Benjamin in the first round despite questionable hands, and they had no issues calling for Ted Ginn Jr. to lead the team’s wide receivers with 97 targets last season.

With Funchess, it’s important to take the good with the bad, because there is plenty of good. No, he’s not a fast receiver, but he did average over 15 yards per reception in his first season. He is a strong receiver who shields defenders like a tight end, and his five touchdown receptions last season are just the tip of the iceberg in that department; he has real upside as a red zone threat.

Jan 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess (17) runs the ball against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) during the third quarter in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

A great example of Funchess’s ability to come down with difficult grabs by using his frame and athleticism came in the Super Bowl. For the most part, the Panthers struggled to get any big plays going through the air, but Funchess had an excellent 24-yard grab over the middle of the field. The ball was (apparently) badly overthrown by Cam Newton, but Funchess leapt to make what would be the team’s second-longest play of the day.

As a rookie, Funchess’s biggest asset was his ability to make plays in the red zone, because in the second half of the season, he led the Panthers in red zone targets (10) and red zone TDs (5). One of the most encouraging aspects of Rivera praising Funchess for his progress is the fact that the same traits that make him such a dangerous red zone weapon should, in theory, make him a reliable third-down chain-mover if he can become more consistent.

In his second season and with a better understanding of how his traits fit in this league (remember, he entered the NFL as a tweener), that could happen. Funchess’s catch rate in 2015 was below 50%, and that must increase in his sophomore season. That said, the Panthers offense is more about high YPR than high catch rates, so take that into consideration when projecting Funchess’s numbers.

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (88) stiff arms Denver Broncos inside linebacker Danny Trevathan (59) in Super Bowl 50 at Levi /

Size matters at the wide receiver position in the Panthers offense, because they already have 5’11” and 6’0″ deep threats (Ginn and Corey Brown, respectively). If Funchess can continue to nail the playbook, he could become a more well-rounded receiver for the Panthers instead of yet another high-risk, high-reward wideout on the roster.

When the Panthers allowed Funchess to get into a groove, his numbers better reflected his play on the field. From Week 9 onward, he was third on the team in targets and averaged 8.94 yards per target, an average beaten by only Olsen and Brown. The latter’s advantage is misleading, because Brown faced easier coverage and had more yards per reception, which increases yards per target.

Set to enter the regular season with a full offseason under his belt (he had a hamstring injury last year), Funchess is a good breakout candidate to watch for. He already showed steady regular season progress as a rookie, and he has the fluid route-running, size, and large catch radius that can make him an effective No. 2 receiver for Carolina. As long as they can give him real chunks of playing time, he should be able to deliver.

Home/Carolina Panthers