The Carolina Panthers have waived WR Ainias Smith with an injury settlement and released G Saahdiq Charles from IR.
Ainias Smith and Saahdiq Charles are both officially off the Panthers' roster — Smith waived with an injury settlement, Charles released from IR. Neither move carries real fantasy weight on its own, but the details matter for how you evaluate them in draft prep. An injury settlement for Smith typically means he's dealing with something that will sideline him for a stretch, and it also severs him from Carolina, so he has zero standing value in that offense right now. He'd need to land on a new roster and prove healthy before he's worth another look, and even then he was already a fringe depth piece at receiver.
Charles' release from IR is a non-issue for fantasy purposes since he's an offensive lineman — this is pure roster housekeeping with no direct scoring impact for your lineup, but it's worth noting only if you're tracking Panthers offensive line continuity, which could indirectly affect Carolina's run-blocking or pass-protection outlook for skill players you do roster (Chuba Hubbard, Bryce Young, etc.). Don't overreact to a single guard swap this early in the offseason, though — line compositions shift constantly in August.
Bottom line: drop Smith from any deep dynasty/keeper stash list with confidence — this is a fully confirmed transaction, not speculation, and an injury settlement release signals the team has moved on. Charles requires no action; monitor Panthers depth chart news generally, but don't spend a roster spot or draft capital on either player based on this report.
Neither player carried any fantasy relevance. Ainias Smith was a depth/return specialist wide receiver who was already off fantasy radars, and Saahdiq Charles is a backup offensive lineman who only matters for redraft/dynasty leagues in the context of offensive line continuity (which affects QB/RB efficiency, not typically the OL himself). This move simply closes the book on their 2024 seasons via injury settlement, making them free agents who cannot re-sign with Carolina for a set period. There's no direct impact on any startable fantasy asset, though losing Charles could marginally affect Panthers' offensive line depth if starters get hurt later in the season.
The Panthers waived wide receiver Ainias Smith with an injury settlement and released guard Saahdiq Charles with an injury settlement, the team announced Thursday.