Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said after Tuesday's practice that McCaffrey (ankle) hasn't been ruled out from returning from injured reserve ahead of Thursday's game against the Falcons, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Rhule's comments came after Carolina designated McCaffrey to return from IR, a move that allowed the running back to resume practicing for the first time since suffering a high right ankle sprain Sept. 20. While Rhule noted that McCaffrey looked good in his on-field work Tuesday, the Panthers may continue to evaluate him up until game day before deciding on whether to add him back to the 53-man roster in Week 8. If McCaffrey does gain clearance for Thursday's contest, he may not immediately step back into a lead role out of the backfield as the Panthers presumably look to exercise some caution with his usage in his first game back. Mike Davis has filled in admirably as Carolina's three-down back over the past five weeks, averaging 88.4 yards from scrimmage and scoring four touchdowns during that span.