Christian McCaffrey Doubtful for Sunday, Which Means He’s Gearing up for Vikings
Carolina Panthers tailback Christian McCaffrey is hampered by a hamstring injury suffered in Week 3 win at the Houston Texans. At the time, Carolina was trekking along – undefeated even – changing their fate from 2020 when the team finished 5-11.
The unbeaten streaked snapped in Week 4 as the Panthers lost to the Dallas Cowboys, sending both NFC squads to 3-1. The McCaffrey-less Panthers didn’t have quite enough firepower to stop the Cowboys. And they’ll likely be without the fantasy football god this week, too.
Panthers list RB Christian McCaffrey as doubtful for Sunday vs. Eagles.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 8, 2021
Earlier in the week, McCaffrey expressed his preference to play, but that was the player’s best-laid plan. Once the coaching staff got a hold of the narrative, enthusiasm on his possible appearance versus the Philadelphia Eagles waned. Ergo, McCaffrey will probably have two weeks of rest, nursing the hamstring back to game form.
Guess what? His timetable could put him back onto the field against – you guessed it – the Minnesota Vikings. You know the team – the one that has struggled to stop the run since the start of 2020. Indeed, the Vikings signed new free agents this offseason to preclude the opposition from doing Christmas-Day-Saints things to the defense once again. Yet, so far, those measures are ineffective. Minnesota ranks fifth-worst in the NFL for both rushing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed per play. Playoff football teams generally stop the run, and the Vikings aren’t doing that through four games.
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McCaffrey’s possible return in Week 6 is, therefore, an eye-rolling experience. Of course he’ll be ready for the Vikings at home. Minnesota’s RB1 Dalvin Cook is also banged up, and his prognosis for this Sunday is up in the air. Like the Vikings thinking – is Cook really needed to tame the Lions – do the Panthers need McCaffrey to ground the Eagles? Probably not, if the good version of the Panthers shows up in Week 5.
The Vikings and Panthers might be gearing up for each other by taking it easy on their respective injured running backs against lesser opponents. Fantasy footballers are watching Cook and McCaffrey closely – both players were 1st Round picks in fantasy drafts – but the teams’ strategic philosophies seem to be aligning for a mutual return in Week 6.
And the Vikings will need to defeat the Panthers on the road if they’re serious about turning around this 1-3 campaign. Most folks believe Minnesota will handle Detroit, setting up a venue for reaching a 3-3 record in Carolina. If the Vikings hit the bye week at .500, well, the “it’s a new season” inevitable chatter will actually track.
All in all, don’t expect to see McCaffrey this week because – cynically – his return is more likely to affect the Vikings. That’s how it goes.
Before the full slate of Week 5 games takes place, sportsbooks already favor the Panthers by a single point over the Vikings in Week 6 futures odds.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).