CHARLOTTE – Wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. (knee) and safety Kurt Coleman (foot) are doubtful for Sunday's game regular season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ginn, who leads the Panthers with 10 touchdown receptions, did not practice all week. Coleman, who leads the team with seven interceptions, was limited on Thursday but did not participate Friday.

Coleman, who has only missed a handful of snaps all season, would be replaced by second-year safety Tre Boston in the starting lineup.

"If we lose (Kurt), I'm going to try to make sure that's not big, make sure I can do what I did last year when I stepped on the field," said Boston, who started five games as a rookie. "I'm ready. I've watched film. I'm happy with the way I've prepared."

Running backs Jonathan Stewart (foot) and Fozzy Whittaker (ankle) are out.

"It got better, but not enough," head coach Ron Rivera said of Stewart, who will miss his third consecutive game. "Do you expose him now or not? Honestly, no, you don't. Hopefully, we'll get him out there next week some time.

"Fozzy needs another week before we do anything with him."

With Whittaker out, Rivera said running back Brandon Wegher, fullback Mike Tolbert and Joe Webb will rotate as kick returners.

If Ginn is inactive, cornerback Robert McClain and wide receiver Brenton Bersin will serve as punt returners.  

Center Ryan Kalil, linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive tackle Star Lotulelei battled illness at one point during the week, but all three are listed probable.

When looking back on the week of preparation, Rivera was encouraged by the pace of practice following his team's first loss of the season.

"The energy level that had been missing the last three or four weeks, it seemed to be back, it really did," Rivera said.

FIELD IN GOOD SHAPE: After hosting the rain-soaked Belk Bowl on Wednesday, director of stadium operations Scott Paul expressed total confidence in the playing surface heading into Sunday's game at Bank of America Stadium.

"Going into Sunday we are absolutely comfortable with where we are," Paul said.

The only part of the field that has been re-sodded this week is the center to replace the Belk Bowl logo with the NFL shield.