With prized rookie Julio Jones sitting out Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, wide receiver Harry Douglas will start opposite All-Pro receiver Roddy White.
Douglas, who’s in his fourth year in the NFL, is set to make his fifth career start. While wide receivers Eric Weems and Kerry Meier will get some action, Douglas will be required to pick up most of the slack.
Jones leads the team in receiving yards with 385, on 25 catches.
Douglas, who was playing the slot receiver, has 11 catches for 80 yards. His best game as a pro came in 2008, when he caught five passes for 96 yards against the Bears. He caught five passes for 35 yards earlier this season against Tampa Bay.
On Sunday night against Green Bay, he had a 47-yard catch nullified by penalty.
Jones has caught 59.5 percent of the passes thrown his way, and Douglas has caught 61.1 percent.
The Panthers played a lot of zone coverage last week against New Orleans, but had a tough time with tight end Jimmy Graham, who finished with eight catches for 129 yards.
When the Panthers play man-to-man coverage, cornerback Chris Gamble will shadow the No. 1 receiver, so that would leave Douglas in a favorable matchup with Carolina cornerback Captain Munnerlyn (5-foot-8, 186 pounds).
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