Christian McCaffrey won't play in the Carolina Panthers' Week 8 game on Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons with his high ankle sprain.

McCaffrey returned to practice Monday and on Tuesday was given a designation to return from injured reserve.

McCaffrey suffered the injury during a Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay.

Carolina is 3-2 without McCaffrey as Mike Davis has averaged more than 100 yards from scrimmage in his first four games.

Christian McCaffrey returned to practice with the Carolina Panthers on Monday for the first time in five weeks.

It remains to be seen if McCaffrey will play on Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons.

"It's a possibility,'' coach Matt Rhule said. "That's sort of out of my hands. I'm hopeful that will happen.''

McCaffrey did not participate in Monday's light workout and would have to go through a full practice on Tuesday or Wednesday for the team to consider taking him off injured reserve.

"If you know Christian, he wants to play,'' Rhule said.