Dan Arnold, Sam Darnold forming 'strong connection' at Panthers camp

Carolina Panthers tight end Dan Arnold and quarterback Sam Darnold are forming a "strong connection" at training camp, per Alaina Getzenberg of The Charlotte Observer.

What It Means:

Arnold signed a two-year deal with the Panthers this offseason after setting career-highs across the board last season with 31 catches on 45 targets for 438 yards and 4 touchdowns for the Arizona Cardinals. His 9.7 yards per target ranked fifth among qualified tight ends last season. He is expected to open the year as Carolina's starter ahead of incumbent Ian Thomas, and the 26-year-old could prove to be a reliable target for Darnold throughout the season. Arnold is not currently being drafted in 14-team leagues, per Fantasy Football Calculator.

Arnold is currently the TE37 in numberFire's preseason fantasy rankings. numberFire's models project him to average only 1.4 receptions and 14.5 yards on 2.1 targets per game while totaling 2.09 touchdowns. Arnold added the eighth-most Reception Net Expected Points per target among the 79 tight ends with at least 10 targets last season.