McCaffrey (ankle) is considered a long shot to play Thursday against the Falcons, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
McCaffrey hasn't been ruled out for Thursday Night Football, but the Panthers still have yet to officially designate him for a return to practice, and it's hard to imagine the team clearing him to play before being thoroughly evaluated during on-field reps. Even if McCaffrey's 21-day practice window is opened in the near future, he could only have a few chances to prove his health before Carolina makes a decision on his Week 8 availability. In the event that the star running back is forced to miss a sixth straight game due to his high-ankle sprain, Mike Davis would be in line to log another start.