Through five games Devin Funchess is averaging 4.6 receptions

and 62.4 receiving yards per game https://www.carolinapanthersfanshop.com/Daryl-Williams-Jersey , both of which are career-highs for the fourth-year wide receiver. If Funch can stay on this pace for the rest of the year his 16-game season totals will be 73 receptions for 998 yards. For the sake of easy math, let’s round up and say Devin ends the season with 75 receptions and 1,000 yards. Crossing this 75-1,000 threshold would put Funchess among the most productive receivers in the game. Per Football Reference, in 2017 only 10 wide receivers had at least 75 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards, including some of the game’s elites:WRs with 75+ rec & 1,000+ yards, 2017PlayerTeamGRecYdsTDPlayerTeamGRecYdsTDConsidering Funchess is still only 24 years old and plays for a run-oriented Panthers team (Carolina’s ranks 21st in pass attempts per game this year), it’s impressive to see him on this statistical trajectory. Advanced metricsWhile traditional stats are a solid measure for wide receiver production, it also helps to see what the eggheads who grind out advanced stats think. Through Week 5, Pro Football Focus ranks Funchess at the No. 27 receiver in the league and gives hims a rating of “Good.” Football Outsiders comes to a similar conclusion while using a different approach. The primary metric used by Football Outsiders to judge wide receivers is called DYAR, or Defense-Adjusted Yards Above Replacement. Per their website https://www.carolinapanthersfanshop.com/Donte-Jackson-Jersey , DYAR “gives the value of the performance on plays where this WR caught the ball, compared to replacement level, adjusted for situation and opponent and then translated into yardage.” Football Outsiders also ranks Devin Funchess as the No. 27 receiver in the NFL in terms of DYAR. I’m not exactly sure what the perfect definition of a “No. 1 receiver” is, but based on these metrics Devin Funchess would be the best wide receiver for a handful of NFL teams, which is exactly what he is for the Carolina Panthers. Anecdotal evidence from the Washington gameFunch showed his No. 1 receiver chops on two separate plays against Washington. Both plays displayed his maturity as a route runner and his ability to channel the physical gifts found within his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame. The first reception came on a second quarter touchdown. Funchess was split wide left and ran a beautiful route by faking an inside post then cutting out for a corner. Quinton Dunbar was in man coverage and bit on the inside move, allowing Funch to get some separation but Cam Newton underthrew the pass. Devin adjusted by slowing down, turning back toward the ball, then leaping up and over Dunbar to haul in the catch. Funchess physically dominated Dunbar like a mean older brother bullying a much younger and smaller sibling.The second reception highlighting his No. 1 receiver credentials was when he manhandled Josh Norman on a clutch fourth quarter reception. Funch ran a simple deep post with Norman in man coverage. Cam threw the ball high where Funchess was able to elevate and haul in the reception well above J-No’s reach. In basketball terms, Funchess looked like a power forward dunking on a shooting guard. Both traditional stats and advanced metrics show Devin Funchess is developing into a No. 1 wide receiver, as did his man-sized plays against Washington. Let’s hope the trend continues this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Panthers still say they have confidence in kicker Graham Gano.They’re looking at their options in case they change their mind.According to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio, the Panthers worked out four kickers Tuesday, bringing聽Chandler Catanzaro Greg Olsen Jersey , Sam Ficken, Matt McCrane, and Caleb Sturgis in for a look.Gano missed a go-ahead 52-yarder against the Seahawks last week, and plunked a field goal off the uprights and missed an extra point the previous week at Detroit. The Panthers lost both games (they can’t blame getting blown out at Pittsburgh on him).A few things complicate any kicker change. They signed him to a four-year, $17 million deal this offseason, which would create dead money and sunk cost. He’s also been pretty good at his job. Sunday’s miss snapped a streak of 41 straight field goals made at home, and he’s 13-of-15 overall this season and was 29-of-30 last year (though he missed three extra points in 2017).They might have just wanted to motivate him, as they did last year when they brought Roberto Aguayo in to their practice squad. So far, they haven’t signed anyone, so it may just be a matter of sending a message.