Tag: Christian McCaffrey

Panthers injury updates: CB C.J. Henderson a full participant

Despite a groin injury, Panthers CB C.J. Henderson is on track to make his team debut in Week 4 against the Cowboys.

When the Carolina Panthers acquired cornerback C.J. Henderson, they also acquired yet another pain the groin . . . literally, not figuratively. They’ve already dealt with this type of injury a few times this season, with safety Juston Burris set to miss at least three weeks with his.

But, luckily for them, this one won’t be a long-term issue. In fact, the team’s new defensive back is certainly on track to play ahead of the exciting Week 4 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Panthers released their first injury report of the week on Wednesday, with Henderson included as a full participant.

Injury Wed. Thurs. Fri. Game Status
RB Christian McCaffrey Hamstring DNP
DE Yetur Gross-Matos Ankle Limited
G John Miller Shoulder Limited
WR Terrace Marshall Jr. Thumb Full
CB C.J. Henderson Groin Full
DT Phil Hoskins Non-injury DNP

Not as involved were Gross-Matos and Miller. Gross-Matos did not play in Week 3’s win over the Houston Texans after rolling his ankle just four days prior against the New Orleans Saints.

Christian McCaffrey, of course, did not participate. He will miss the next few weeks with a strained hamstring.

[lawrence-related id=641549]

[listicle id=641561]

Panthers injury updates: RB Christian McCaffrey not expected to go on IR

The Panthers, fortunately, do not expect to be without star RB Christian McCaffrey for too long.

Not only did the Carolina Panthers take in a fresh breath of air with Monday’s trade for cornerback C.J. Henderson, but they also took one out with the current (and encouraging) status of their superstar running back.

When speaking to reporters today (although mainly about Henderson), head coach Matt Rhule gave fans another reason to feel pretty, pretty good. He soundly stated that the team does not envision having to place Christian McCaffrey on the injured reserve list moving forward.

“Christian won’t go on IR,” he said. “I would expect that we put Jaycee [Horn] at some point this week. Scott [Fitterer] will handle that. Jaycee will obviously have surgery and be out for a while. And Christian, we don’t see in that light.”

Although the bit on Horn is a bummer, news of his surgery and long-term absence was to be expected. The rookie cornerback broke multiple bones in his right foot during the Panthers’ 24-9 win over the Houston Texans in Week 3.

McCaffrey, on the other hand, won’t be out too long with his strained hamstring.

Rhule also provided an update on safety Juston Burris, who also had to exit the victory early this past Thursday night. He believes Burris will be back in “a couple of weeks” while he heals up from a groin injury.

As some insurance for these secondary losses, in addition to taking in Henderson, the team has signed cornerback Rashaan Melvin, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, off the practice squad and onto the active roster. Melvin has played in each of the last two games for a total of 62 defensive snaps against the Houston and the New Orleans Saints.

[lawrence-related id=641478]

[listicle id=641479]

Watch: Alvin Kamara scores his 61st touchdown in 63rd career regular season game

Watch: Alvin Kamara scores his 61st touchdown in 63rd career regular season game

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbyahgz6p2j3xp7 player_id=none image=https://saintswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Bang: Alvin Kamara asserted himself early on against the New England Patriots by linking up with Jameis Winston for an 11-yard touchdown grab. It’s the 61st touchdown of Kamara’s career, spanning 63 regular season games. That helps close the gap between him and Marques Colston for the New Orleans Saints career scoring record (72 touchdowns in 146 games).

Funnily enough, the play looked like one the Saints were burnt on a week ago. Saints film analyst Deuce Windham identified it as a Texas concept — the same design the Carolina Panthers used to pick up 30 yards on a Christian McCaffrey grab-and-go in Week 2. Sean Payton has always taken time to look at what’s working around the league, but this note-cribbing feels a little more personal.

[vertical-gallery id=50795]

Panthers WR DJ Moore on pace for special season

Since 2000, only five players have recorded at least 85 first-down receptions in a single season. Panthers WR DJ Moore is on track to be the sixth.

Carolina Panthers fans have known how good DJ Moore is. They’ve already seen three years of it.

This fourth year, however, may be the one where everybody else starts to recognize him.

Moore, like his 3-0 Panthers, is off to a monstrous start here in 2021. He’s amassed 22 receptions over 31 targets for 285 yards and, in what could be his most impressive stat thus far, 16 first downs.

That got us thinking . . . how torrid of a pace is Moore currently on? Well, we dusted off the ol’ calculator and, turns out, he could be headed for territory that very few men have ever reached before.

Now, of course, this year is a tad different. Remember, we’re now playing off a 17-game schedule. So we have to keep it all relative.

But, whether it be 17 or 16 games, Moore is pacing for something quite special.

Pace for a 17-game season

Receptions: 125
Receiving yards: 1,615
Touchdowns: 6
First downs: 91

Pace for (what would have previously been) a 16-game season

Receptions: 117
Receiving yards: 1,520
Touchdowns: 5
First downs: 85

If we’re working off his 17-game numbers, he’d be just the eighth player in NFL history with a season of at least 125 catches and 1,615 yards. If it’s his 16-game numbers we’re looking at, he’d be the 13th to get to those 117 grabs and 1,520 yards.

His first-down pace, regardless of the gauge, would send him into an even more exclusive club. Only five men have recorded at least 85 receiving first downs since 2000. He, with the 91 or 85, would be the sixth.

Here, by the way, are the five members of that group:

Julio Jones (2015): 93
Marvin Harrison (2002): 92
Calvin Johnson (2012): 92
Michael Thomas (2019): 91
Antonio Brown (2014): 85

Moore is also on track to become the Panthers’ single-season franchise leader in receptions and receiving yards. If everything stays in place and intact (which it, like, definitely will because football is always a very stable and predictable sport), he’d pass running back Christian McCaffrey in catches (116) and mentor Steve Smith in yards (1,563).

Those are a few decent names to join and/or pass in the record books, right?

[lawrence-related id=641409]

[listicle id=641392]

Panthers working out RB Duke Johnson on Friday

No single player can replace RB Christian McCaffrey. But the Panthers are going to have to hold it down, possibly with some outside help, until he returns.

Unless they can swing a trade for Alvin Kamara or Dalvin Cook, there’s no way the Carolina Panthers can replace what Christian McCaffrey means to their offense. But they can at least try to hold it down until he returns.

A possible reinforcement could come in running back Duke Johnson, who the team is working out on Friday. As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 28-year-old back will get a look from the Panthers following the news that McCaffrey is expected to miss at least a few weeks with his hamstring injury.

Johnson is a decent dual-threat back in his own right, having amassed seasons of 61, 53 and 74 receptions throughout his six-year career. The former third-round pick of the Cleveland Browns most recently spent a pair of seasons in Houston, where he totaled 160 carries for 645 yards (4.0 yards per attempt) and three touchdowns along with 72 catches for 659 yards.

If signed, Johnson, of course, wouldn’t be expected to shoulder the majority of the workload left behind by McCaffrey. In fact, he may not even see more than rookie Chuba Hubbard or backup Royce Freeman.

He could, though, help give offensive coordinator Joe Brady some different looks and play this out by committee.

[lawrence-related id=641173]

[listicle id=641136]

Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey expected to miss a few weeks with hamstring injury

The Panthers are not currently planning to put McCaffrey on injured reserve, per NFL Network.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey appears to have avoided a significant hamstring injury.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, McCaffrey is expected to miss only “a few weeks,” and while tests are on-going, the Panthers are not currently planning to place him on injured reserve.

McCaffrey left Thursday night’s win over the Houston Texans in the first half. He carried seven times for 31 yards and caught two passes for nine yards before exiting in the second quarter of the 24-9 victory.

Not placing McCaffrey on injured reserve gives the star running back a chance to return and play within the next three weeks. Players can be designated to return after three weeks on injured reserve, so the team clearly feels his recovery timeline is shorter.

Without McCaffrey on Thursday night, the Panthers gave rookie running back Chuba Hubbard 11 carries. He gained 52 rushing yards while also catching three passes for 27 yards.

The undefeated Panthers play the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings over the next three weeks.

[lawrence-related id=641093]

[listicle id=641136]

Panthers likely to be without Christian McCaffrey for Week 5 matchup vs. Eagles

Carolina Panthers likely to be without their starting RB for Week 5 matchup vs. Eagles

The Carolina Panthers are 3-0 on the season after a 24-9 win over the Houston Texans on Thursday night football.

Lost in the fast start is the news that star running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss multiple weeks with a hamstring injury. Carolina hosts Philadelphia in Week 5 and if McCaffrey can’t play, the Eagles would then face rookie running back Chuba Hubbard.

McCaffrey, who in 2019 became the third player in NFL history to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season, missed 13 games last season due to multiple injuries, including a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2.

[listicle id=654166]

[lawrence-related id=654226,654224,654220,654213]

Christian McCaffrey’s injury: Does it mean Chuba Hubbard or Royce Freeman is RB1 in fantasy football?

SPOILER: It’s Chuba Hubbard SZN.

Ugh. What awful news coming out of Thursday Night Football for Christian McCaffrey, the Carolina Panthers and those in fantasy football who took the RB with the first overall pick.

During the 24-9 win over the Houston Texans, McCaffrey left and was an out due to what head coach Matt Rhule called a “strained hamstring.”

That left rookie Chuba Hubbard to take over the backfield along with former Denver Broncos back Royce Freeman. But what’s the fantasy outlook for the two of them the rest of the season? Let’s break it all down even though we’re a few days away from waiver wire time.

4 takeaways from the Panthers’ 24-9 win over Texans

Through their three victories to start 2021, the Panthers defense is allowing just 9.7 points and 191 yards per game.

You wouldn’t have known by the overall feel of Thursday night’s outing that the Carolina Panthers moved to 3-0.

Well, they did.

So through the good and the bad of their trip to Houston, here are four takeaways from the consequential Week 3 victory.

Studs and duds from the Panthers’ 24-9 win over the Texans

On a Thursday night of ups and (maybe more) downs, here are the studs and duds for the Panthers in their 24-9 win over the Texans.

In their only primetime game of the season, the Carolina Panthers rose to 3-0 with a messy win over the Houston Texans. Led by the Sam Darnold-DJ Moore connection and dominant defensive performance, they controlled the pace throughout for a 24-9 victory.

Here are our studs and duds from Thursday night’s game.

Stud: DJ Moore

Aside from a brief injury scare, things looked really good for the Panthers’ No. 1 receiver. Moore finished the game as the team’s leading receiver, totaling 126 yards on eight receptions.

The fourth-year wideout took over running back Christian McCaffrey’s role as the focal point of the offense, quickly establishing a strong connection with Darnold. Because we’re ungrateful football fans, though, we’ll add that he could’ve had even more yardage on another chunk play that ended up as an overthrown deep shot by Darnold in the fourth quarter.

Dud: Injuries

From McCaffrey to cornerback Jaycee Horn to Moore, the Panthers suffered some significant injuries on both sides of the ball. The most significant of the three appeared to hurt Horn, who was carted off the field with a broken right foot.

McCaffrey was also ruled out of the game with a tweaked hamstring, so we’ll be tracking his injury status over the next few days.

Stud: Chuba Hubbard

For better or worse, the rookie Chuba Hubbard has emerged as the Panthers’ clear backup running back. Despite an initially ineffective rushing attack with Hubbard at the helm, offensive coordinator Joe Brady and company continued feeding him the football rather than opting for a committee of backs.

Luckily, Hubbard saw more success as the game went on, finishing with 11 rushes for 52 yards and adding 27 more through the air on three catches.

Dud: Robby Anderson

Simply put, Robby Anderson has almost been a non-factor in the Panthers’ offense thus far this season. Moore and McCaffrey have commanded the team’s receiving game, and Anderson has been left in the dust.

What makes his lack of receptions more surprising, though, is his historical chemistry with Darnold. That and the fact that Carolina is still establishing its offensive identity should give fans hope that Anderson can bounce back from a slow start to the season.

Stud: Sam Darnold

Darnold hasn’t been a superstar, but through three games, he’s been everything the Panthers have needed him to be. The fourth-year quarterback and first-year Panthers starter threw for 304 yards on a 67.6-percent completion rate, adding two rushing touchdowns and ending with a 95.7 quarterback rating.

Aside from a couple of misfires, Darnold looked sharp throwing the football, connecting with nine different players on catches ranging from check-downs to a 30-yard completion to Tommy Tremble.

Dud: Penalties

The defensive line is usually a stud for the Panthers, but today, they fell victim to a few too many offsides penalties. The line accrued around four of the kind Thursday night, which, unless the unit quickly regains its discipline, will definitely lead to trips to the DBO sign this week in practice.

Aside from the penalties, we saw flashes of the line’s potential once again, highlighted by Haason Reddick, Frankie Luvu and Brian Burns turning in at least a sack each.

Stud: Zane Gonzalez

The Panthers may have finally found stability at the kicking position. The veteran Zane Gonzalez had a perfect day, going three-of-three on extra points and one-of-one on his lone field goal attempt from 21 yards out.

The Panthers’ former kicker, Joey Slye, missed an early extra point for Houston, though he drilled a 53-yarder through the uprights later in the contest.

[lawrence-related id=641098]

[listicle id=641090]