Did Tetairoa McMillan Lock Up OROTY?

The Carolina Panthers picked up an incredibly notable victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. Winning 23-20, the surging Panthers took over first place in the NFC South division. Rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was a difference maker and came closer to ensuring he's going to win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

McMillan recorded six receptions on 10 targets for 73 yards and one touchdown. The former Arizona standout led the Panthers in every major receiving category. McMillan has already become Bryce Young's go-to target.

McMillan's touchdown occurred as the Panthers were trailing 10-6 with 12 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Aligned on an island at the X-receiver spot, the rookie eighth overall selection created easy separation from Jamel Dean in man coverage. The Panthers went up 13-6 and never trailed again.

McMillan has now accumulated 65 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns this year. The big-bodied boundary playmaker currently has the 14th most receiving yards among rookies since 2020. With two games remaining in the season, McMillan will undoubtedly surpass 1,000 yards, and he should crack the top-10 of that 2020-onward rookie receiving leaderboard.

McMillan now leads all rookie wideouts in receiving yards. Ironically, he entered Week 16 trailing Buccaneers receiver Emeka Egbuka for the lead in that category. McMillan out-produced Egbuka, the Panthers knocked off the Buccaneers in the division, and momentum for OROY honors tipped in his favor.

McMillan is also 85 yards shy of shattering the Panthers' single-season rookie receiving yards record. The Waimānalo, Hawaii native is establishing himself as one of the most prolific rookies in Panthers franchise history. He should be rewarded with hardware at the conclusion of the campaign.

McMillan has become the betting favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. There hasn't been much competition this season. New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson is another candidate on a playoff-bound team, but Henderson didn't enjoy his first notable performance until Week 8, hampering his chances.

There is also no quarterback in the OROY race. Jaxson Dart's New York Giants own an NFL-worst 2-13 record. Cam Ward has been improving for the Tennessee Titans lately, but started slowly before improving after the bye week. Tyler Shough didn't enter the New Orleans Saints' lineup until late October.

Quarterbacks (C.J. Stroud and Jayden Daniels) have won the last two Offensive Rookie of the Year awards. A wide receiver hasn't won since they went back-to-back in 2021 (Ja'Marr Chase) and 2022 (Garrett Wilson). Expect McMillan to end that short drought.

The Panthers are arguably writing the biggest underdog story of any team throughout the 2025 campaign. Nobody pegged the Panthers as a potential playoff team in 2025. McMillan's immediate emergence has helped lead to more success than anticipated.

McMillan was a main character in Carolina's division-leading win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Panthers inched closer to clinching their first postseason appearance since 2017. McMillan has emerged as the strong favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.