Analyst predicts Panthers' Christian McCaffrey will have bounce-back game vs. Giants

The 1-0 New York Giants host the 0-1 Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium this Sunday in a Week 2 game featuring a pair of star running backs. 

Giants running back Saquon Barkley earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts during the win at the Tennessee Titans last Sunday, while Carolina's Christian McCaffrey was downright ordinary, at best, during the Week 1 home loss to the Cleveland Browns. For a piece published Friday, ESPN's David Newton predicted McCaffrey will look more like his All-Pro self against the Big Blue defense. 

"McCaffrey will get involved early and rush 24 times for 130 yards and a touchdown against a Giants defense that gave up only 93 yards rushing (against two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry and others) in the opener," Newton foreshadowed. "McCaffrey was limited to 14 touches and 57 yards in the opener, and this will be McCaffrey's first 100-yard rushing performance since Week 10 of the 2019 season (108 yards on 20 carries at the Green Bay Packers)." 

McCaffrey ended the loss to Cleveland with just 10 carries for 33 yards and a touchdown to go along with four catches for 24 yards. Barkley, meanwhile, was fantastic against Tennessee and finished that game with 164 rushing yards and a score on 18 carries combined with six catches for 30 yards. Coming off last weekend, both ESPN's Jordan Raanan and current NFL Media member Maurice Jones-Drew declared the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year is "back." 

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule may hope certain individuals will say the same about McCaffrey this Monday after the 26-year-old missed 23 of 33 regular-season contests across 2020-21 due to injury setbacks.