Hubbard has an unimpeded path to close out the 2024 campaign in a workhorse role out of the backfield for Carolina, with Jonathan Brooks (knee) having suffered a season-ending ACL tear during Sunday's 22-16 loss to the Eagles, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Hubbard has established himself as the clear No. 1 option leading the Panthers' rushing attack this season, and he rushed 26 times for 92 yards and one touchdown versus Philadelphia, but there had been an assumption that Brooks' involvement would ramp up down the stretch. With the rookie second-round pick having re-torn his right ACL, though, Carolina's roster no longer features anyone even resembling a threat to Hubbard's dominant share of reps. Raheem Blackshear (chest) is considered day-to-day, while veteran Miles Sanders (ankle) won't be eligible to come off IR until Week 16 against Arizona, at the earliest. Head coach Dave Canales said practice-squad player Mike Boone currently is in line to handle the No. 2 role behind Hubbard at practice and potentially Week 15 versus Dallas, per Steve Reed of the Associated Press.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Huge workload in Philly
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Hubbard carried the ball 26 times for 92 yards and a touchdown and caught four of five targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 22-16 loss to the Eagles.
Rookie Jonathon Brooks left the game in the first quarter with an injury to his right knee, the same one he had ACL surgery on about a year ago, while depth RB Raheem Blackshear was also knocked out of the game early with a chest injury. That left Hubbard as Carolina's only option in the backfield, and he turned the extra volume into his best performance since Week 10. The fourth-year back also crossed 1,000 rushing yards on the season, the first time in his career he's reached that plateau. If Brooks' injury proves to be serious, Hubbard is likely headed for a heavy workload again in Week 15 against the Cowboys.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Sit
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Hubbard is more of a bust alert than a must-sit running back, but I don't like the setup for him in Week 14. He's on the road at Philadelphia, and the Eagles are 12-point favorites. Philadelphia is also No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and only four running backs have topped 12 PPR points against the Eagles in their past eight games, with four touchdowns allowed to the position all season. Hubbard also just had 12 carries for 43 yards and no targets in Week 13 against Tampa Bay, which is the second game he's played with Jonathon Brooks. It's the fewest total touches for Hubbard since Week 1, and this could be a sign of things to come. I would only use Hubbard as a flex option in the majority of leagues in Week 14.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Role begins to shrink
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Hubbard rushed the ball 12 times for 43 yards in Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss to the Buccaneers. He was not targeted.
Hubbard continued to lead the Carolina backfield, though he out-touched Jonathon Brooks by a margin of only 12-9. He was also held in check for most of the game, as his longest gain went for only nine yards and he had a fumble in overtime that cost the Panthers a chance at victory. Perhaps most concerning in regards to role was Hubbard's lack of involvement as a receiver, as this marked only the third time this season that he wasn't targeted. He has at least four receptions in six contests for the campaign, which has served as a significant portion of his fantasy value.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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In his first game with Jonathon Brooks in Week 12 against Kansas City, Hubbard still dominated playing time with 89 percent of the snaps. He finished with 16 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 2 yards on five targets, and Hubbard has now scored at least 15 PPR points in three games in a row. He's worth starting in all leagues in Week 13 against Tampa Bay, and the Buccaneers are No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Four running backs have scored at least 13.5 PPR points against the Buccaneers in the past four games, and Hubbard has top-15 Fantasy upside in all leagues in Week 13.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Still lead back
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Hubbard rushed the ball 16 times for 58 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Chiefs. He recorded one reception on five targets for two yards.
Hubbard was joined by Jonathon Brooks in the Carolina backfield for the first time this season, though it was hardly noticeable in the box score as he out-touched Brooks 17-2. The Chiefs' run defense has been among the best in the league throughout the campaign, so it's not particularly surprising that Hubbard struggled with his efficiency. However, he still managed a productive fantasy performance thanks to a one-yard plunge into the end zone and a subsequent two-point conversion with under two minutes remaining in the game. Brooks will likely become a bigger factor at some point late in the season, but Hubbard looks to have safe volume for the time being.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Sit
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Hubbard is more of a bust alert than a must-sit running back, but this could be a tough week for him for two reasons. For starters, this is the worst matchup for any running back since the Chiefs are No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to the position. Only four running backs have scored touchdowns against Kansas City this season, and the Chiefs should be able to focus on stopping Hubbard since he's Carolina's best offensive weapon. But we also know the Panthers plan to use Jonathon Brooks for the first time this year, and we'll see how much work the rookie running back gets in tandem with Hubbard. He's still worth starting as a low-end No. 2 running back in the majority of leagues, but I'm worried about Hubbard's production in this matchup, along with the presence of Brooks.
Hubbard agreed to a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension with the Panthers on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Hubbard is able to earn an additional $4 million in incentives, and he'll receive $15 million fully guaranteed as part of the new deal, which keeps him in the fold through the 2028 season. A 2021 fourth-round pick, Hubbard produced 1,135 yards from scrimmage over 17 games last season, emerging as Carolina's top back after free-agent signee Miles Sanders struggled and eventually lost the starting gig. Carolina then invested a second-round pick into Jonathon Brooks (knee) in the 2024 NFL Draft, but with Brooks having not yet made his debut, Hubbard has maintained his spot atop the depth chart and has continued to thrive in his fourth season, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and recording 26 receptions through Carolina's first nine contests. Brooks could be available this Sunday against the Giants, and while the Panthers are still high on the rookie's long-term outlook, Hubbard's extension likely ensures that the fourth-year back will have a prominent role for the foreseeable future.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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Jonathon Brooks (knee) is expected to make his NFL debut in Week 10 against the Giants in Germany, but I still expect Hubbard to get the majority of touches. And this could be his last chance to be the starter for the Panthers and a potential starter for Fantasy managers. Hubbard has at least 17 total touches in seven games in a row, and he scored at least 15.3 PPR points in five of those outings, including Week 9 against New Orleans, with 15 carries for 72 yards, two touchdowns, and two catches for no yards on three targets. Brooks will likely get a handful of touches against the Giants, but Hubbard should still dominate the workload. And the Giants have allowed a running back to score at least 13.1 PPR points in six games in a row.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Contrarian DFS Play
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I would expect Hubbard's roster rate to be held down by the return of Jonathon Brooks. I do not expect Brooks will have a big impact on Hubbard's workload in the rookie's first game. He has at least 17 touches in eight straight games and a great matchup against the Giants.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Two touchdowns in narrow win
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Hubbard rushed 15 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns and brought in two of three targets for no gain in the Panthers' 23-22 win over the Saints on Sunday.
Hubbard saw his second straight 15-carry tally and recorded his first multi-touchdown effort of the season via one- and 16-yard runs in the second half. The second score provided the game-tying points and saw Hubbard break multiple tackles on the way to the end zone, underscoring what he's brought to the table amid the Panthers' struggles. Hubbard is expected to face a challenge to his workload from Jonathon Brooks (knee) when the latter potentially makes a Week 10 debut, but Hubbard should remain atop Carolina's ground attack against the Giants in Germany.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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We'll see if Jonathon Brooks (knee) will make his NFL debut in Week 8 against the Saints, but even if he's active, I would still use Hubbard as a No. 2 running back in all leagues. The matchup is too good to ignore since the Saints are No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Five running backs have scored at least 16.8 PPR points against New Orleans in the past four games, with seven total touchdowns over that span, and this could be Hubbard's last chance at a quality performance if Brooks is able to play soon.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Held in check by Denver
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Hubbard carried the ball 15 times for 56 yards and caught both his targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 28-14 loss to the Broncos.
The fourth-year back couldn't get much going, with his longest gain going for only 15 yards. Hubbard still has put together a very impressive first half of the season given the circumstances around him in Carolina, amassing 701 yards from scrimmage in eight games with four total touchdowns and 5.0 yards per carry. With rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) potentially making his NFL debut Week 9 against the Saints, however, Hubbard's days as the clear starter in the Panthers backfield may be coming to an end.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Scores fourth touchdown
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Hubbard rushed the ball 17 times for 52 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 40-7 loss to the Commanders. He was not targeted in the passing game.
The Panthers' offense had a miserable day, as they possessed the ball for only 24:55 and totaled only 180 net yards. Given that context, Hubbard did what he could with his rushing attempts, highlighted by a long gain of nine yards and a four-yard touchdown run late in the blowout loss. Despite his success this season, Hubbard's outlook is murky moving forward given the state of the Panthers' offense and the impending return of Jonathon Brooks (knee).
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Gains 103 yards from scrimmage
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Hubbard rushed 18 times for 92 yards and caught five of six targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 38-20 loss to Atlanta.
Hubbard continued his fantasy ascension in 2024 with another strong performance while handling 18 of Carolina's 21 rushing attempts from RBs. While the fourth-year back failed to extend his scoring streak to three games, he managed to produce his third game of 100-plus combined yards from scrimmage over the Panthers' last four contests. Hubbard remains unchallenged as Carolina's lead back, making him a must-start asset heading into next Sunday's tilt against Washington.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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Hubbard delivered as the Start of the Week in Week 4 against the Bengals with 18 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown and four catches for 17 yards on four targets. He's now scored at least 22.1 PPR points in each of the past two games started by Andy Dalton, and Hubbard got good news this week that the Panthers aren't ready to make Jonathon Brooks (knee) active. The matchup against the Bears isn't scary since Chicago is No. 10 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Hubbard once again has top-10 upside in all leagues in Week 5.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Contrarian DFS Play
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No one gets too excited to start an underdog on a low-scoring team at running back. But I mostly believe in the Hubbard we saw in Week 3 with Andy Dalton at quarterback. I also believe this Bengals defense is one of the best matchups in the NFL for a running back. Hubbard should see a minimum of 15 highly-efficient touches and will be the best value on the slate if he gets into the end zone again.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Racks up 169 total yards
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Hubbard rushed the ball 21 times for 114 yards in Sunday's 36-22 win over the Raiders. He added five receptions on five targets for 55 yards and a touchdown.
Like most of the Carolina skill-position players, Hubbard benefited significantly from Andy Dalton taking over as the starting quarterback. He dominated touches during competitive portions of the game -- though Miles Sanders found the end zone in garbage time -- and tallied Carolina's first touchdown of the day on a five-yard catch. In addition to opportunity, Hubbard was also efficient. Only six of his 21 carries went for fewer than four yards, and he also had a long reception of 20 yards. With Jonathon Brooks (knee) out at least one more game, Hubbard should see plenty of volume once again in Week 4 against Cincinnati.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Sleeper RBs
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Hubbard looked better in Week 2 against the Chargers (11.6 PPR points) than he did in Week 1 at New Orleans (1.4 PPR points), and things should be trending up for the Panthers offense with Andy Dalton starting for Bryce Young. It was great to see Hubbard involved in the passing game against the Chargers with four catches for 12 yards on five targets, and hopefully, that becomes a staple of the offense moving forward. This week, Hubbard should be considered a solid flex option against the Raiders, who have allowed a running back to score at least 16.6 PPR points in each of the first two games with J.K. Dobbins and Derrick Henry.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Sit
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Hubbard (54 percent) played more snaps than Miles Sanders (37 percent) in Week 1 at New Orleans, but both nearly had equal touches and production. Hubbard finished with six carries for 14 yards and no targets, and Sanders had five carries for 22 yards and two targets. It was ugly, and this Panthers offense will be tough to trust heading into Week 2 against the Chargers, who just shut down Zamir White in Week 1. I was hoping Hubbard would be a good replacement option until Jonathon Brooks (knee) is ready to play, but if Week 1 was any indication, you can't use Hubbard as even a flex in deeper leagues.
