The Carolina Panthers are likely going to be down one of their up-and-coming playmakers when they open up the season against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, second-year wideout Curtis Samuel probably won't play in Week 1 because he recently underwent a "small procedure to fix an irregular heartbeat." 

Rapoport emphasized that the procedure was minor, but added that a firm timeline for his return has yet to be established.

The team hasn't confirmed the report, but Panthers coach Ron Rivera did acknowledge that Samuel has a medical issue, according to The Charlotte Observer. 

"He's dealing with a medical issue," Rivera said. "He saw the doctor today, so we'll wait to see what the doctor has to say."

Samuel, drafted in the second round a year ago out of Ohio State, appeared in nine games as a rookie. In all, he caught 15 passes for 115 yards and picked up 64 yards as a ball carrier before an ankle injury ended his season. In three games this preseason, after returning from that injury, he hauled in six passes for 137 yards.

Without Samuel on Sunday, Devin Funchess will remain the team's top receiver, Torrey Smith will be in the mix, and tight end Greg Olsen might still be their top pass-catching option, but Samuel's absence could open the door for someone like first-round pick D.J. Moore. It's worth noting that Moore was already listed ahead of Samuel on the team's depth chart, but Moore now has one fewer player to compete with for targets. 

Obviously, Samuel's health matters way more than the distribution of targets and, more generally speaking, football, but the Panthers should be able to handle his absence. Hopefully, Samuel's procedure is successful and hopefully he gets a chance to showcase the attributes that made him a second-round pick last year. 

After facing the Cowboys, the Panthers head to Atlanta for an important divisional matchup with the Falcons before returning home to host the Bengals.