As Jonathan Mingo begins his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers he’ll look to become the next rookie wide receiver to make an impact. At 6-foot-1 and 226 pounds he profiles as an outside receiver, but time will tell exactly when he’ll see an uptick in playing time and snap volume. For fantasy managers with Mingo on their roster, how much can they trust him in lineups for Week 1?
Fantasy Football analysis: Panthers WR Jonathan Mingo
Mingo was taken with the 39th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and has an opportunity to ascend in a relatively weak Panthers receiving room. In his four seasons with Ole Miss, he tallied 112 receptions for 1,758 yards and 12 touchdowns with an average of 15.7 yards per reception. He was relatively quiet in the Panthers’ preseason, going without a target in their first game and finishing with just one reception in their preseason finale.
Start or sit in Week 1 PPR leagues?
Mingo is a risky play in Week 1 given the fact that he’s stepping into a crowded receiving room that has no shortage of established players. Terrace Marshall Jr., Shi Smith, Adam Thielen, and DJ Chark are just a few names that come to mind. Mingo would need ample targets, and receptions, to be deemed valuable in PPR leagues and the number of players ahead of him poses a detriment to his upside.
He’s also coming off a low 55.4 percent catch rate in his senior season at Ole Miss, so questions could arise about his ability to haul in his targets. For smaller leagues with eight to 10 teams, Mingo should sit in Week 1. For larger leagues, consider him no more than a flex out of desperation.
Start or sit in Week 1 standard leagues?
As with most rookies, the biggest factor for success is playing time. Marshall, Thielen, and Chark should be ahead of him in the pecking order which means Mingo will be WR4 in Week 1, at best. There’s a chance that Mingo could leapfrog Thielen given his age and the number of seasons he’s played. However, the chances of him seeing a high volume of targets in Week 1 are slim.
If you’re in a smaller league, you can find better options than Mingo. For fantasy players in leagues with more than 12 teams, Mingo should only be considered as a flex in desperation mode.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Jonathan Mingo
Romeo Doubs, Michael Gallup, or Hunter Renfrow are better options to consider than Mingo. All three have established roles with their respective teams and offenses, and in the case of Renfrow, he has an excellent opportunity to provide PPR value for fantasy managers. Mingo’s upside could be greater in the long-term, but for short-term purposes in Week 1, seeking an established player is a better security play.