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Rishi Patel breaks down Carolina Panthers rookie WR Terrace Marshall's skill set and fantasy value for the 2021 season to see if he is a good option to draft.
The Carolina Panthers changed their QB situation this past offseason, bringing in former Jets signal-caller Sam Darnold to replace Teddy Bridgewater. In hopes of surrounding Darnold with a decent supporting cast, the Panthers drafted WR Terrace Marshall Jr. out of LSU in the second round of the 2021 draft.
The 21-year-old Marshall will look to carve out a role for himself on this team this upcoming season, but it certainly won’t be easy given guys like Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore are on the squad.
How will Marshall fare in his first season and will he get a chance to thrive? Let’s break down his skills and fantasy outlook.
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College Production
Terrace Marshall didn’t put up the most elite stats in three seasons at LSU, but the encouraging thing to extract from his collegiate numbers was his improvement in nearly all statistical categories from his freshman year to junior year.
In nine games as a freshman, the WR put up a measly 12 receptions for 192 yards. Nevertheless, that improved quite a bit by the time his final season at LSU ended in 2020, as the wideout posted 48 receptions for 731 yards and 10 touchdowns in just seven games.
Marshall averaged a stellar 15 yards per catch in college and at 6-2, 205, he brings great size as a receiver. He also brings speed, posting a 4.40 40-yard dash at the combine.
Marshall’s greatest assets are his great route-running abilities along with solid balance and footwork skills. He is also capable of playing from the outside or as a slot receiver. He has drawn comparisons to Cowboys wideout Michael Gallup.
2021 Fantasy Outlook
Terrace Marshall has not entered a situation like fellow draft picks DeVonta Smith or Ja’Marr Chase where he will be relied on a decent amount by the QB. In fact, Marshall enters this season as the likely WR4 on Carolina behind Sam Darnold’s former teammate Robby Anderson, the talented D.J. Moore, and former Seahawk David Moore.
With RB Christian McCaffrey the focal point of this offense, he will also take up a heavy chunk of offensive production on this team. So where does this put the rookie Marshall?
Given a collection of more talented players ahead of him on the depth chart, Marshall’s role is likely expected to be small this year--unless he proves he’s a playmaker off the bat or barring injury to a big-name player.
Both Anderson and Moore were excellent last year and will be Darnold’s two primary targets. Anderson put up 95 receptions for 1,096 yards and three scores on 136 targets while Moore amassed 66 receptions for 1,193 yards and four scores on 118 targets. If Marshall can make the most of his opportunities at the beginning of the season, he could surpass David Moore though and fight for that WR3 role on the team.
After all, David Moore is coming off three generally unimpressive campaigns in Seattle (2018-2020) where he finished with no more than 53 targets, 35 receptions, 445 yards, and six scores in any season. Moore shouldn’t be considered the WR3 for Carolina in a “set in stone” manner, so this means there is room for Marshall to move up the ranks and steal the WR3 role on the team as the season progresses. That could boost his fantasy value.
For now, Marshall should be considered nothing more than a flex option/depth piece you take a chance on late in drafts. He’s not a Week 1 fantasy starter and shouldn’t be in the starting conversation for fantasy until it’s clear he has a decent role on the Panthers and he shows consistency.
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