5 winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers win vs. Texans in Week 8
By Dean Jones
Loser No. 2
Miles Sanders - Carolina Panthers RB
Miles Sanders was available for selection after getting an extended period to recover from groin and shoulder issues. Even so, the running back was seldom seen as part of offensive coordinator Thomas Brown's new play-calling strategy.
Sanders was an afterthought following an indifferent start to life with the Carolina Panthers. He was allocated just two carries in Week 8 against the Houston Texans, securing no positive yardage to continue a concerning run.
The Panthers gave Chuba Hubbard the bulk of touches, which wasn't surprising. He didn't fare much better with a 1.9 yards per carry average from 15 touches, which made Sanders' lack of involvement all the more glaring.
Where the Panthers and Sanders go from here is anyone's guess. It's unlikely any team is going to take on his contract via trade before the deadline, so perhaps a post-June 1 cut designation next year seems like a realistic option - something that comes with a saving of $6.22 million and $1.47 million in dead money.
There is still time for Sanders to be impactful, but this clearly isn't the same guy who ran for more than 1,000 yards and reached the Pro Bowl in 2022. However, one can also pinpoint the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line being far superior to the one he's running behind in Carolina.