Trevor Etienne News: Costly fumble in preseason debut

Etienne gained three rushing yards on two carries, caught his only target for 14 yards, and added 27 yards on two kick returns in Friday's 30-10 preseason loss to the Browns.

The 2025 fourth-round pick was the third running back into the game for the Panthers after Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, and while Etienne's varied usage was encouraging, he also muffed a punt deep in Carolina territory at the end of the first quarter that led directly to the Browns' first TD of the game. Raheem Blackshear, Etienne's primary competition for the No. 3 spot on the RB depth chart, handled kick- and punt-return duties for Carolina in 2024 and gained a career-high 936 yards in that role, so the rookie's miscue could weigh heavily on his prospects. Given the draft capital expended on him, Etienne's spot on the 53-man roster is likely secure, but he's got a tough road to carving out any kind of fantasy value.