Is Christian McCaffrey playing tonight vs. Rams? Update of Panthers RB's availability as trade rumors swirl

Christian McCaffrey will not carry an injury designation into Week 6 of the 2022 NFL season. He will be fully active and ready to resume his role as the workhorse running back when the Carolina Panthers go on the road. They have a tough matchup against defending Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams.

This is great news for the Panthers as their superstar dual-threat back has remained healthy so far this year. McCaffery has had a complicated injury history during his NFL career, but he has yet to miss any games this season.

McCaffrey played in all 48 games during the first three years of his career before various injuries forced him to miss significant time. He was only able to appear in ten combined games between the 2020 and 2021 NFL seasons. He is one of the best overall offensive players in the NFL when he's healthy and playing six consecutive games is encouraging.

McCaffrey's availability is great news for the Panthers in Week 6 against the Rams, especially considering P.J. Walker will be starting at quarterback (due to injuries to Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold). The running back's health may be even more important now as he has reportedly been placed on the trade block.

Will the Carolina Panthers trade Christian McCaffrey?

Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey

It was recently reported that the Panthers are fielding trade calls for their superstar running back Christian McCaffrey. They opened the 2022 NFL season with a disappointing 1-4 record and also recently fired their head coach Matt Rhule. It looks like they could be headed for a rebuild.

Carolina's top two quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, are each playing in the final years of their contracts this season. This further suggests that they could be looking to rebuild their roster next offseason. McCaffrey is one of their most valuable players, so it would make sense to shop him around prior to the trade deadline. This would help them acquire as many future assets as possible.

McCaffrey is one of just two players in NFL history (along with Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig), to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. Plenty of teams will likely be interested in acquiring him as long as he can remain healthy. The NFL trade deadline is officially set for November 1, so the Panthers have about two weeks to make a decision.