CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is doing everything but saying Christian McCaffrey will return from his injury Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
But Rhule said again Thursday that McCaffrey is trending in the right direction, saying he looked "fresh and fast" at practice.
McCaffrey suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 2, and has missed six games. The Panthers designated him to return to the active roster last week, opening a 21-day window to bring him back.
Three days before Carolina travels to face the defending Super Bowl Champions, Rhule won't say outright that McCaffrey will play.
"I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but I'm hopeful," he said. “If we played right now I feel he’d be able to play."