Ron Rivera: Panthers rookie DJ Moore not only receiver who deserves a bigger workload

The NFL is a league of opportunities, and D.J. Moore appears to have made the most of his.

Filling in for injured wide receiver Torrey Smith, the Panthers’ rookie set a career-high in nearly every major statistical category against Baltimore on Sunday — targets, receptions, receiving yards, rushing yards and total yards.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera vowed to stick with Moore following his two-fumble performance at Washington in Week 6 and stayed true to his word against the Ravens, keeping him on the field for a career-high 70 percent of Carolina’s offensive snaps.

With Smith’s status still uncertain for Sunday’s home game against Tampa Bay, Moore could be in line for another heavy workload.

“I think (Moore earned a bigger workload). Again, it’s always about growth,” Rivera said. “We’ve got some young guys that just need to be on the football field, that’s the only way they get better — by playing. But at the same time, you don’t want to forsake the opportunity to win.

“D.J.’s proven that he can be part of winning, he can be part of the reason why we win.”

Moore didn’t score, but he earned a first down on all but one of his seven offensive touches.

The former first-round pick isn’t the only young receiver who could see an uptick in snaps against the Buccaneers. Second-year wideout Curtis Samuel remains a priority, and Rivera said he would like to see him on the field more often.

The Panthers’ depth at receiver makes that difficult, however — not that Rivera is complaining.

“We’ve got to find out more about Curtis,” he said. “Curtis has been great for us every chance he’s got, so trying to find opportunities to play him more. Those are things that are tough for us. We’re very fortunate because we’ve drafted well the last few years, we’ve brought in some quality free agents that helped us.

“We’re in a good spot, we’re very fortunate.”

Carolina will continue to monitor Smith’s health — almost as closely as Samuel has monitored Smith’s practice habits throughout the season.

Smith’s next-door neighbor in the locker room, Samuel, a Brooklyn native, said the two are close,. Samuel even has a hometown-approved velvet du-rag waiting for the eight-year veteran. But while Samuel hopes Smith can emulate his fashion sense, he’s focused more on replicating Smith’s longevity in the league.

“Just coming here and seeing his routine and how he goes about it just before practice, getting ready, getting warmed up,” Samuel said. “It definitely helped me become a better player because he’s doing that for a reason — because it’s gotten him this far. I wish to play as many years as he has, so I’m just following his routine.”

Rivera did not say whether Moore or Samuel will start Sunday but did suggest the Panthers’ starting lineup won’t necessarily determine snap count.