Artis-Payne will start at running back Sunday against the Vikings, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.
Artis-Payne's first career start will also be his first appearance of this season, as teammate Jonathan Stewart's (hamstring) absence makes his similar skill set a more natural replacement within Carolina's first-team offense than Fozzy Whittaker. That being said, coach Ron Rivera said the two tailbacks are likely to receive a fairly equal split of carries Sunday, making it difficult to put too much stock in either player, particularly against a tough Vikings defense. While Whittaker profited to the tune of 131 all-purpose yards once the injured Stewart exited last Sunday, when Artis-Payne was inactive, Artis-Payne was the Panthers' most utilized runner when Stewart missed the final three regular season games last year. In those contests, Artis-Payne totaled 33 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown, while Whittaker managed 34 yards on just seven carries and missed Carolina's finale due to his own ankle injury.