Christian McCaffrey's fight to return to game action likely won't see an end in Week 15.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule told reporters he does not think Christian McCaffrey will play Saturday against the Green Bay Packers, per the Associated Press' Steve Reed, due to shoulder and thigh issues. Rhule added his belief could change if McCaffrey can practice Wednesday, but as of Tuesday, the coach doesn't expect McCaffrey to play.
McCaffrey has missed the majority of the season due to injury, first to his ankle and now his current combination of ailments. McCaffrey has only played in three games, with his most recent outing coming in Week 9. Prior to that contest, McCaffrey played in Weeks 1 and 2 before suffering the ankle issue in a loss to Tampa Bay.
Carolina's offense has been forced to proceed without the star running back, who has ceded his place to Mike Davis. The backup has rushed for 555 yards and five touchdowns on 137 attempts in 13 games played (10 starts). As an offense, the Panthers rank 19th in yards per game, with the bulk of their production coming from their 15th-ranked passing offense.
