The long-awaited return of Christian McCaffrey has been going well for the Carolina Panthers. His 185 yards from scrimmage though the team's first two games show that he is still a fantastic player despite suffering numerous injuries. Unfortunately, they have not been able to translate his production into wins.

With a matchup against the New Orleans Saints on the docket for Week 3, the Panthers will look to snap their streak of losing on late, go-ahead field goals. The Saints present a tough challenge and unfortunately for Carolina, McCaffrey will not play at 100 percent.

McCaffrey was added to the Panthers' injury report with an ankle injury. However, he is still expected to play despite being limited in practice, according to Ellis L. Williams of The Charlotte Observer.

Any McCaffrey injury update will be extremely important to monitor going forward. Although he has made great progress in his recovery, his history will make every Panthers fan weary whenever something pops up. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted that he is dealing with “lingering stiffness” ahead of the matchup with the Saints.

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The Panthers' offense cannot survive without their star running back. Baker Mayfield has been solid but unspectacular and the options he has in the passing game are not very strong. Christian McCaffrey's availability will be crucial if Carolina hopes to be competitive against New Orleans.

On Sunday, the Panthers will look to snag their first win of the season against the division-rival Saints in front of their home crowd.