Latest injury update on Panthers star Christian McCaffrey

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss a few weeks after suffering a strained hamstring, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 

Rapoport said IR is not in the works right now, but the team is still running tests on the leg injury. 

In Thursday night’s game against the Houston Texans, McCaffrey left the game in the second quarter after just seven carries for 31 yards and two receptions for nine yards. Following a stutter step to evade a defenseman, McCaffrey went to the medical tent for evaluation where he remained for over 20 minutes.

Coming into the game, McCaffrey had 324 yards from scrimmage, which led the NFL.

Last season, the back only made it to the third game of the season as well before he was lost for the year to shoulder, thigh and ankle injuries. He had 59 carries for 225 yards and five touchdowns. One of the leagues biggest all-purpose running backs also had 17 receptions for 149 yards and a receiving score.

Chuba Hubbard, the Panthers fourth-round pick in last spring’s NFL Draft, will start in McCaffrey’s place. The former Oklahoma State back has yet to score his first career touchdown in the pros, but has 19 carries for 62 yards in three games this season.

Carolina hopes to continue hot start

The Panthers are 3-0 for just the fifth time in franchise history, and while they will hope for a speedy recovery for their star running back, they are confident they can hold down the fort in his absence.

“We’ll be all right without him,” said Sam Darnold, who is in his fourth year in the NFL but his first year with the Panthers . “Obviously, we want him back, but I want him to take his time right now and make sure he’s good for the end of the season.”

Left tackle Cam Irving added that there is more to the Panthers than McCaffrey, and a good team should be able to succeed in the absence of a player.

“We’re a football team,” Erving said. “We’re not the Carolina Christian McCaffreys.”

The Panthers defense leads the league in yards and points allowed per game, at 191 and 10, respectively. They hope to continue the dominance on that side of the ball, but they will need to find success without their rookie cornerback and first-round pick Jaycee Horn. Horn broke his foot last night, and the earliest he would return would be very late in the season.