Artis-Payne had eight carries for 51 yards in Thursday's preseason finale against Pittsburgh.
Artis-Payne finishes his impressive preseason with 28 carries for 180 yards (6.4 average) and three touchdowns, having thoroughly outplayed Fozzy Whittaker. It's still possible Whittaker enters Week 1 with the No. 3 spot on the depth chart at running back, as Artis-Payne's lack of pass-catching skills is problematic for a reserve back. The Panthers might consider keeping both players, with Artis-Payne essentially serving as Jonathan Stewart's backup while Whittaker serves as Christian McCaffrey's main understudy.