With Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin still not all the way back from his ACL surgery, second-year wideout Devin Funchess has been the star of OTAs. Funchess, a second-round pick last year, has shown terrific hands going across the middle, albeit in non-contact drills.
That’s a good sign for a player who struggled hanging on to the ball early in his rookie year before finishing strong. Funchess, 6-4 and 225 pounds, also has looked more fluid in his routes this spring.
An improved Funchess and a healthy Benjamin would be huge to a receiving group that had wideouts playing out of position for much of last season.
Funchess finished with 31 catches for 473 yards and 5 touchdowns on 63 targets, which was a little disappointing considering the opportunity he had with Benjamin out for the year. Instead it was Ted Ginn who provided the most consistent fantasy value. With Benjamin back and Ginn still around, it's hard to see how Funchess's role increases. The Panthers did give Jerricho Cotchery 54 targets last year, so that's a start.
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