The Facts: In June, HC Ron Rivera gushed over Funchess as being "light years ahead of where he was" as a rookie. The high praise out of Carolina just keeps coming. "He's becoming such a good young pro and understanding what it takes to be successful," Rivera said at training camp this week. "And when he's not doing things right, he really gets on himself, so I'm glad to see that maturation that he's going through."
Diehards Line:
As last year's second-round pick, Funchess was thrust into a starting role after tall-as-a-tree wideout Kelvin Benjamin suffered a season-ending ACL injury before Week 1. That rookie-year transition included its share of bumps in the road, but the 6-4, 228-pound Funchess bloomed to catch five touchdowns over Carolina's final nine regular-season games with a whopping 120 yards in the team's Week 17 win over the Buccaneers. "I'm more comfortable. I just want to do more," Funchess said. Remember: Funchess won't be facing No. 1 cornerbacks this autumn, not with Benjamin back. But the question boils down to targets and opportunities. The Panthers have shown confidence in Funchess all offseason, and we expect him to pick up where he left off come September.