CHARLOTTE — Bryce Young knows what Xavier Legette can be to this Panthers offense. Dave Canales knows when Legette is at his most comfortable, everything is elevated. Tetairoa McMillan knows how Legette can charge the offense.

And Xavier Legette himself knows who he is as a receiver and as a teammate. He also knows he needs to prove it to fans again.

"I want to prove to the fans and all that whoever, whoever the doubters is out there, whoever think I ain't it," admitted Legette on Wednesday. "I think it's more so, they're just waiting for me to show them. That's what I think. Because for folks who say I ain't a good player. I mean, that's, I feel like that's way out of sight."

It's also far from the truth, according to Young, who would still huddle between each drill with Legette and McMillan, even while the former was rehabbing, to go over plays and calls. The quarterback gave an impassioned defense of his receiver on Wednesday, offering a glimpse into the workings of a unit that is operating much differently than any outside narrative might suggest.

"X doesn't need a message," preached Young, cutting into a question about what he's saying to Legette to keep him encouraged. "He's a great player, I'm super excited for him to be back. You know, people want to say things; if everyone could see the work that he was putting in these last couple weeks, him dying to be on the field, him wanting to be up, wanting to— asking coaches, asking trainers, 'Hey, what can I do? How I want to do this X, Y, Z.'

"He doesn't need a message. He doesn't need a pep talk. He's ready to go. Again, being able to have him back is huge for us as a team, as an offense, for me, so I'm just excited."

Legette has missed the past two games while rehabbing a hamstring. In the two weeks before that, the former first-round pick struggled to find his footing this season, with four receptions for 15 yards. Following the Arizona game, Legette promised a breakthrough was coming. Then, the hamstring injury occurred in practice that Wednesday, ahead of the Falcons' matchup.

This week, after practicing for the first time in two weeks, the South Carolina product is re-upping his promise and prediction.

"Like I told y'all, man, whenever it pops, it's going to pop, so that's what we're waiting on."

Canales is just waiting on a smile, whether it comes from an explosive play and touchdown, or a simple, quick route to get the ball in Legette's hands and his confidence heading in the right direction.

"I'm just waiting for that one play where I can see him smile and just make a play, just get the weight off of you. You're just out here to play football, just do your part, so I'm excited for the work he's put in and excited to see him this week."

There's no real answer for what led to Legette's limited production in those first two weeks. Coaches and teammates assured the outside world that his practice approach and energy hadn't changed.

The plays in games that weren't hitting all came on a variety of routes and styles; some were downfield, some were on screens, and some were just as an easy check-down option.

Defenses adjusted, but there were also the requisite one-on-one balls that can be a 50/50 shot, or blocking that was blown up, which doesn't always reflect on the receiver.

All happening in quick succession, though, caused the lack of production to be glaring and the issues to compound.

"I think guys are aware of X—Xavier—and how fast he is and how big he is, and they're trying to attack that. They're trying to get their hands on him early so he can't build up his speed, you know, and that's the part that he's got to continue to work through," explained Canales.

"I saw improvement going into the Arizona game. I saw him play faster. The nature of that game, the targets that that went to him, I thought was just kind of a misfortunate deal and Will Johnson makes a great play on a one-on-one go ball in the end zone, and he had good position on him."

In Legette's absence and struggles, the offense has turned more and more to McMillan. The Arizona product has 18 receptions for 278 yards. But despite having only two regular-season games on the field together, McMillan knows what the Panthers can do when Legette is out there.

"Man, everybody knows what he can do," McMillan said of his teammate. "So, he's a big part of his offense, a big part of this team, and we need him to make this thing go."

Through it all, Legette maintains his confidence has not wavered. He's simply had to wait longer than normal for a moment he knows will still come.

"I do those types of things within myself," Legette said of any pep talks. "So I mean it ain't really nothing nobody could tell me they going to try to uplift my confidence because my confidence ain't never left."

And perhaps just as importantly, as the Panthers try to bounce back in Week 5 against the Dolphins, confidence in Xavier Legette is still present in those around him.

"I don't need to see something or waiting for anything. I know what he's capable of. I know what he's going to do," said Young. "X is ready to go. X is a great player. He's been a great player for us. I have all the confidence in the world."