Panthers Bring Back Ihmir Smith-Marsette on the Practice Squad

The Panthers announced Tuesday they've signed wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette to their practice squad, a familiar reunion for a player who first suited up in Carolina back in 2023. He'd spent the summer with the Cardinals before being released off their practice squad earlier this month.

This is a special-teams add, plain and simple. Smith-Marsette owns career averages of 8.3 yards per punt return and 30.1 yards per kickoff return, and he's found the end zone as a returner twice — a punt return score during his first Panthers stint and a kickoff return touchdown with the Giants. As a receiver, though, the resume is thin: 14 catches for 182 yards across his entire career.

The travel log tells the story. Since entering the league he's cycled through the Vikings, Bears and Chiefs, then landed with the Giants for two seasons, where he served as their lead returner in 2024 but never cracked the active roster off their practice squad last year. Now he's back where he was in 2023.

For those who remember his one real Carolina flash, his 2023 stat line was modest — eight catches for 51 yards, plus 74 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown across 17 games, good for just 27 PPR points on the season. That's not a role that moves any needle in fantasy formats.

The Fantasy Fallout

There's nothing to act on here. Our model ranks Smith-Marsette #370 overall and #139 among wide receivers, which is roster-app filler territory. Practice-squad returners don't generate usable touches, and his profile as a pass-catcher has never suggested otherwise.

Bottom line: if Smith-Marsette is somehow sitting on your roster in any format, drop him without a second thought. He's a return specialist and depth insurance for Carolina, not a fantasy asset. Keep your attention on the Panthers' actual pass-game hierarchy — this signing changes none of it.