CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders said Tuesday he’ll be ready to play in his team’s Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons despite missing more than two weeks of training camp with a groin injury.

“Absolutely,” Sanders said when asked if he's confident he'll play in Week 1.

Sanders returned to practice this week. He is slated to start and is considered Carolina’s “three-down back,” according to coach Frank Reich.

He hasn’t played in either of the team’s exhibition games and his status for Friday night’s preseason game against the Detroit Lions remains uncertain, Reich said.

The Panthers signed Sanders to a four-year, $25.4 million contract this offseason in hopes of replacing Christian McCaffrey, who the team traded to the San Francisco 49ers for four draft picks midway through last season.

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