Is Diontae Johnson playing today? Injury update for Carolina Panthers WR in Week 7

The Carolina Panthers are dealing with some significant injury issues heading into their Week 7 road game against the Washington Commanders. It's not exactly ideal for a team languishing among the bottom feeders once again.

Several top performers have already been ruled out of the contest, including stud right tackle Taylor Moton and defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson. Derrick Brown and Shaq Thompson are done for the season, which makes things even more difficult for head coach Dave Canales to generate momentum.

Diontae Johnson is another fighting several aches and pains. The Pro Bowl wide receiver remains the subject of intense speculation with the Panthers going nowhere fast at 1-5 and some difficult contests upcoming before the trade deadline. It's hard to know what general manager Dan Morgan is thinking for sure, but the release of veteran cornerback Troy Hill indicates Carolina is looking to go younger.

The Panthers took their time with Johnson this week and listed him as questionable on the injury report thanks to ankle, rib, and hamstring complications. That's not promising for a notable contribution versus the Commanders, who've made a sensational start to the campaign but can be exposed in the secondary when pressure doesn't arrive.

If the Panthers want to stand any chance of keeping this competitive, they need the former third-round selection out of Toledo fit and firing on all cylinders. Others also need to make their presence felt, but the veteran wideout makes everything tick after coming to life following the team's decision to bench quarterback Bryce Young.

Is Carolina Panthers WR Diontae Johnson playing in Week 7?

Fans were waiting anxiously for developments regarding Johnson. Adam Schefter from ESPN provided a positive update, stating that the pass-catcher would be suiting up at Northwest Stadium.

He was also not among the inactive players 90 minutes before kick-off.

Johnson might be taking part, but he's unlikely to be anywhere near 100 percent. The Panthers need to get him involved early on and see how he responds. If there are any problems, taking him out of the firing line wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.

Nobody is expecting the Panthers to get anything from this one. The Commanders have a lot of firepower and a genuine franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels. They boast one of the league's most efficient offenses, so turning this into a potential shootout is the only realistic path to competitiveness.

There's a lot expected of Johnson despite his ailments. Whether he can deliver or not through the pain is another matter.

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