The Carolina Panthers will go without the help of running back Jonathan Stewart for the first six weeks of the season.
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that the team has chosen to place Stewart on the regular-season physically unable to perform list after a doctor weighed in negatively on the back's surgically repaired right ankle Tuesday.
Stewart won't be eligible to play until Oct. 20, when the St. Louis Rams visit the Panthers in Week 7.
That means DeAngelo Williams will take advantage. He should get a bump in rankings and now has RB2 potential. Rookie Kenjon Barner could get some work and maybe Mike Tolbert gets some goal line work, but Williams should be the guy.