The Carolina Panthers will be without All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey for the next 4-6 weeks. McCaffrey suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.
McCaffrey was unable to return to action after scoring a fourth-down touchdown early in the fourth quarter to bring Carolina to within a touchdown.
That dynamic running back met with members of the media on Monday and explained that he is hoping to be back earlier than that the 4-6 weeks that were originally reported.
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady had mentioned in the offseason that their entire offense was built around McCaffrey shortly after the former Stanford star signed his record-breaking contract that averages out to $16 million per season.
Carolina has also scored five touchdowns this season and McCaffrey has four of them.
McCaffrey is coming off a special season in which he became just the third player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and have 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.
Running back Mike Davis will likely be the guy to replace the All-Pro after the Panthers claimed him over waivers in 2019.
Davis had his best year in 2018 with the Seattle Seahawks, scoring four touchdowns in 15 games while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Davis was effective in the passing game against Tampa Bay, catching eight passes for 74 yards.
Finding a replacement for McCaffrey won’t be easy, but the Panthers still believe they’re a playoff team despite their 0-2 start in 2020.
Statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.
More from The Woody Paige Sports Network:
- Woody Paige: As Drew Lock goes, so go the Broncos — in 2020 and beyond
- Woody Paige: 19-0 for the Broncos in 2020? Not without Von Miller
- Target these NFL regular season win totals with confidence in 2020
- The best dressed player from each team in the NBA bubble
- ‘Most losses in 2020’ prop bet offers NFL bettors huge value
- Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton suffers season-ending ACL injury
