It appears the Panthers will head into another game with a patchwork backfield.

DeAngelo Williams, the only Panther to rush for more than 100 yards this season (106), can already be ruled out of Sunday’s trip to Cincinnati with a high ankle sprain.

Jonathan Stewart was hopeful Wednesday, saying he plans to play against the Bengals, but he admitted that’s what he thought last week as well. More likely, Stewart will miss another game with a knee sprain he suffered in Week 3.

Darrin Reaves, who started against the Bears, did not practice on Wednesday. The undrafted rookie injured his hip during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win, but head coach Ron Rivera said Reaves could return Thursday.

So on Wednesday, the banged-up backfield was made up of Fozzy Whittaker, Chris Ogbonnaya and practice squader Tauren Poole.

Whittaker, who hasn’t played since pulling a quad in Week 2, may not only get his first carry of the year on Sunday, but he may now be in line to get the bulk of the work.

“Any moment and opportunity I get to be back on the field, I cherish and enjoy it,” said Whittaker. “You can’t take those types of moments for granted as I’ve already missed the past three weeks. But getting back out there on a Wednesday, in full pads, able to actually feel contact, it felt great.”

The Panthers are also down in numbers at fullback. Mike Tolbert is on the injured reserve/designated to return list, and tight end/fullback Richie Brockel went on injured reserve Tuesday. That may force the team to ask Ogbonnaya, who ran eight times for 24 yards and touchdown his Panthers’ debut last week, to play a few snaps at fullback.

“That’s part of my job, so if that’s what I’m asked to do, I’ll be open to doing it and do it as well as I can,” Ogbonnaya said.

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