Carolina Panthers and fantasy football fans collectively let out a “Here we go again” response to injury news on Thursday.
Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey was added to Carolina’s injury report on Thursday with a shin injury. However, McCaffrey was listed as a full participant in Thursday’s practice. Despite being listed on the injury report, Carolina head coach Matt Rhule explained on Thursday that McCaffrey was cut on his shin with a cleat, but indeed finished practice and is “fine.”
Matt Rhule says Christian McCaffrey got cut on his shin with a cleat, but finished practice and is "fine."
— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 8, 2022
Still, with McCaffrey’s injury history that limited him to 10 total games over 2020-21, the concerns and Twitter jokes were plentiful. Even with the limited playing time the past two seasons, McCaffrey was the consensus No. 2 pick in fantasy football drafts this year. So, any injury news at all is going to sound the alarms.
Well, good news for Panthers fans and fantasy football managers: McCaffrey is indeed fine.
The Panthers removed McCaffrey from the injury report on Friday, and he’ll be good to go for the team’s opener against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey is off the injury report for Week 1 and is good to go after taking a cleat to the shin in practice on Thursday.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 9, 2022
It’s also a great thing for new Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield, who will lean heavily on McCaffrey in both Carolina’s rushing and passing game. And having a healthy McCaffrey will really help Mayfield’s chances to take down the Browns in a Week 1 revenge game.
