Haynes King preseason debut: 180 yards, 2 TDs for Panthers

Haynes King preseason debut: what happened

Undrafted Panthers QB Haynes King completed 21-of-34 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in Carolina's 33-30 Hall of Fame Game win over the Arizona Cardinals on August 6 in Canton. He also rushed for 39 yards, capped by a game-winning 5-yard TD run as time expired.

Note: Adam Schefter's original post listed 219 passing yards, but NBC Sports and the AP reported 180. The 180-yard figure is what multiple credible outlets confirmed.

King took over after veteran Kenny Pickett handled the opening drives, per head coach Dave Canales. No sacks, no turnovers across 34 dropbacks is exactly the kind of clean performance a UDFA needs when his roster spot is on the line.

Where King sits on the Panthers depth chart

Bryce Young is the presumed starter and did not play. Pickett is the backup. King is third, fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster. This game was an audition, and he made a strong case.

King, 25, played college ball at Texas A&M and then Georgia Tech, where he won the 2025 ACC Player of the Year award. He is listed at 6'2", 212 lbs and brings a genuine dual-threat profile.

Fantasy football takeaway

King is not someone you start in redraft leagues. He is nowhere near the Panthers starting job. But the volume he saw (34 attempts plus carries) in a high-stakes preseason game, combined with his rushing ability, makes him a name to file away for deep dynasty stashes or preseason DFS slates.

If Young or Pickett misses time, King moves into a more relevant conversation fast. Watch his roster status over the next few weeks of preseason.