Betting on the Carolina Panthers in 2026: Defending NFC South champs underdogs to repeat

Pop quiz: Of the eight division winners last season, how many of them had preseason division odds longer than the Carolina Panthers at +425? If you guessed zero ... you're incorrect. If you guessed one ... you're also incorrect. It's actually FOUR (Bears +475, Patriots, Steelers and Seahawks all +550), with the Broncos and Jaguars at +275 and +300, respectively.

Only the Eagles won their division as preseason favorites last season. Sometimes weird things happen in football, like Carolina knocking off the Packers and Rams in the regular season and almost upsetting the Rams again in the playoffs. The Panthers pulled off two outright upsets as underdogs of 9-plus points in 2025; the rest of the NFL did that once. A bottom-10 point differential underscored a surprising but likely fluky season, which can indicate either the start of an ascension or a prime candidacy for regression. -- Kevin Pulsifer

2026 outlook: Defense ascending, offense showing some life

The Panthers have spent two offseasons pouring big contracts into their defense -- LBs Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd signed as free agents after DT Tershawn Wharton and STre'von Moehrigwere added last season -- in the hope that Ejiro Evero's unit can finally move the needle. If anything, it's the great 2025 from incumbent CBs Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson that should set the ceiling for an ascending defense.

In Year 2 for Tetairoa McMillan and Year 4 of Bryce Young, the offense should have some pop as well. But can Young be consistent enough to pull the Panthers into legitimate playoff contention? -- Ben Solak

Best bet: Chuba Hubbard rushing yards UNDER 699.5 (-115)

The drumbeat out of Panthers camp is that RB Jonathon Brooks, a 2024 second-round pick, is finally healthy. Hubbard lost the primary job to Rico Dowdle last year (Dowdle signed with the Steelers this offseason), and the Panthers will eagerly split his time again if it means Brooks is finally able to contribute. Brooks has much more big-play potential than Hubbard, who could get pigeonholed into a third-down role. -- Solak