RADIO
Chuba Hubbard Expected to be Ready for Season Opener
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) is expected to be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sept. 13 against the Chicago Bears, head coach Dave Canales told Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Hubbard has not played in a preseason game after straining his hamstring earlier this month, but he was able to return to training camp practice on Monday, signaling that he should be ready for the season opener. Canales also said on Monday that the Panthers are expected to use an RB committee with Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks to open the 2026 season. Hubbard ran for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, but a calf injury limited him to 511 yards and just one rushing TD last year, while Rico Dowdle took over as the team's lead back. Dowdle is now in Pittsburgh, but Brooks could be a thorn in Hubbard's side this year if he manages to stay healthy after already tearing his ACL multiple times. Hubbard said he is feeling "pretty good" with the regular season quickly approaching, but fantasy managers will have their doubts that Hubbard can become anything more than an RB3/flex in a timeshare.
Source: The Associated Press - Steve Reed
Source: The Associated Press - Steve Reed
Panthers to Use RB Committee if Chuba Hubbard is Good to Go
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that if running back Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) is good to go for the start of the 2026 regular season, it will be a running back committee also involving Jonathon Brooks, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Per Steve Reed of The Associated Press, Hubbard was a full participant in Monday's training camp practice after dealing with a hamstring injury in recent weeks, so he should be ready to roll for Week 1, barring a setback. Brooks' fantasy value has skyrocketed in recent weeks with Hubbard banged up. In fact, Brooks is currently ranked as the No. 33 RB at RotoBaller, with Hubbard coming in at No. 37. A full-on timeshare between both backs will cap their upside for fantasy managers as RB3/flex options. Brooks has more momentum, but he has also played in only three NFL games since being drafted in the second round in 2024 due to multiple ACL tears in his knee. Hubbard had a career-high 1,195 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs in 2024, but he fell to 511 yards and one rushing touchdown in 15 games with the Panthers last year.
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Jonathon Brooks Sees Large Role on Friday With Starters, Punches in TD
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks rushed for 18 yards on five attempts during Friday's 34-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. His longest run on the day was for 11 yards, and he punched it in from the one-yard line for his first touchdown in the NFL. With Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) out, Brooks played nearly every snap with the first-team offense on Friday. The 23-year-old has been running with the starters in Carolina's first two preseason games and has been healthy after being limited to just three games in his first two NFL seasons. Hubbard remains week-to-week, but Panthers head coach David Canales believes Hubbard will be available for the regular season opener against the Bears. Brooks currently has a Yahoo Fantasy ADP of 74, which could continue to rise after a strong preseason showing.
Source: Adam Schefter of ESPN
Source: Adam Schefter of ESPN
Chuba Hubbard Expected to Be Ready for Week 1
Although Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) is currently battling a hamstring injury, the "expectation is that he'll be ready for Week 1 against the Chicago Bears," per Joseph Person of The Athletic. After recording back-to-back seasons with over 1,100 yards from scrimmage in 2023 and 2024, Hubbard suffered an early-season injury in 2025 and eventually ceded his starting role to former Panthers back Rico Dowdle. However, Dowdle signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this past spring in free agency, opening the door for Hubbard to reclaim the RB1 role in Carolina. The 27-year-old was highly productive in a starting role in 2024, collecting 1,366 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns on 293 touches across 15 games. Hubbard could face some internal competition from Panthers back Jonathan Brooks, who is finally healthy entering 2026 after back-to-back lost seasons due to injury. Still, Hubbard profiles as the lead back in Carolina when healthy and should be viewed by redraft managers as a high-end RB3/flex option.
Source: The Athletic - Joseph Person
Source: The Athletic - Joseph Person
Trevor Etienne Flashes Receiving Ability in the Preseason
Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne rushed for seven yards on six attempts while catching all four targets for 18 yards in Saturday's 29-14 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. Etienne led the team in receptions and tied Feleipe Franks and Eliah Cooks with four targets. The 22-year-old has natural hands and has shown flashes in the passing game. However, he started in the Hall of Fame game against Arizona and was limited to 11 total yards. With Jonathon Brooks' injury history and Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) being week-to-week with a hamstring injury, Etienne could have an expanded role if either were to miss any time. The former fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is battling AJ Dillon for Carolina's RB3 spot behind Hubbard and Brooks. Etienne is a dynasty stash for now, but a name to watch in deep-league PPR formats if Hubbard continues to be sidelined with his hamstring issue into the regular season.
Source: Pro Football Focus
Source: Pro Football Focus
Jonathon Brooks Runs with Starting Lineup on Saturday
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks started in Saturday's 29-14 preseason loss against the Buffalo Bills and struggled to find any running room. Brooks rushed for five yards on three attempts while catching one pass for nine yards on Saturday. He logged seven of nine snaps with the first-team offense and was targeted once on three routes run. The 23-year-old had trouble finding running room as the offensive line struggled to open any lanes for him, as he averaged a measly 1.7 yards per carry. While the Panthers offense looked sluggish on Saturday, the good news is that Brooks looked healthy, as it was his first NFL snap he played since December 8, 2024. Brooks could see a heavy workload early on as Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) is week-to-week and likely questionable for Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. Brooks has been a trendy name whose fantasy stock has risen with a strong training camp. He is steadily becoming a running back to target in the middle rounds at his current Yahoo Fantasy ADP of 77 and is ranked 91st overall in the latest RotoBaller rankings.
Source: Pro Football Focus
Source: Pro Football Focus
Chuba Hubbard Considered Week-to-Week With Hamstring Injury
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) is dealing with a hamstring injury in training camp and is considered week-to-week, head coach Dave Canales told Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. Rico Dowdle is out of town in 2026, which set up Hubbard to lead Carolina's backfield. However, a hamstring injury could potentially threaten the 27-year-old's availability for the start of the 2026 regular season, which means that RB2 Jonathon Brooks, who has played in just three games in the NFL since entering the league in 2024 due to two torn ACLs, will become much more interesting as a breakout candidate in 2026. After his first 1,000-yard season with the Panthers in 2024, Hubbard rushed for only 511 yards and one touchdown on 134 carries last year while losing out on work to Dowdle, who was the much more efficient and explosive back. Hubbard still has time to get ready for Week 1 in September, but his hamstring injury will certainly make him a riskier RB3/flex option in upcoming fantasy football drafts.
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
Jonathon Brooks Will Play in Preseason Opener
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that running back Jonathon Brooks will play in the team's second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, mixing in with Chuba Hubbard, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. It will be Brooks' first game played since his rookie season in 2024 after he didn't play in last week's Hall of Fame game and missed the entire 2025 campaign due to another torn ACL in his knee. Rico Dowdle is no longer in Carolina's backfield, and while Hubbard is the team's clear RB1, Brooks is expected to have a significant RB2/change-of-pace role in Canales' offense this year. The former second-rounder from the University of Texas has only played in three games in the NFL, so it's hard to know what to expect from him if he can finally stay healthy. Brooks has looked good this summer, though, and he's an intriguing handcuff option/RB3/flex target with upside if Hubbard gets injured or struggles again in 2026.
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Trevor Etienne Unproductive in Hall of Fame Game
In his first game action of the 2026 season, Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne had four carries for 12 yards and one reception for a loss of one yard in the 33-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday. Etienne was unable to show out, while running backs A.J. Dillon (36 yards and a touchdown on four attempts) and undrafted free agent Miles Davis (four carries for 53 yards) did. Whoever the third-stringer is will work behind starters Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks in 2026, so it's hard to fathom Etienne having any fantasy value. Fantasy managers who have him in either redraft or dynasty leagues should consider dropping him for a better option with more upside.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jonathon Brooks Won't Play in Hall of Fame Game
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that running back Jonathon Brooks will not play in Canton, Ohio, in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game versus the Arizona Cardinals, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers aren't planning on playing their starters to open the preseason slate, and it makes all the sense in the world not to put Brooks in harm's way when considering his history of knee injuries. The 23-year-old former second-rounder in 2024 from the University of Texas has played in only three games for the Panthers due to two torn ACLs. The Texas native is fully healthy this summer, though, and heads into his third NFL campaign as the favorite for change-of-pace duties behind Chuba Hubbard in Carolina. Hubbard will most likely continue to serve as the team's RB1, but Brooks has been impressive so far in camp and could cut into his overall touches, making him an intriguing late-round flier at the position, especially if you have Hubbard rostered. RotoBaller has Brooks ranked as the No. 40 fantasy RB for 2026.
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Source: The Athletic - Joe Person
Chuba Hubbard Remains the Projected Lead Back in Carolina
There has been plenty of hype surrounding Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks so far in training camp now that he looks fully healthy, but Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer also reports that "it's Chuba Hubbard's world he's living in." With that said, Kaye also thinks Brooks has "looked sharp." "He's cutting well, showing impressive hands, and I think he's gaining a rhythm out there." Brooks could be a thorn in Hubbard's side in 2026 if he stays healthy, but Rico Dowdle is gone, and the Panthers will open the regular season with Hubbard as the clear leader of their backfield. However, the 27-year-old former fourth-rounder in 2021 from Oklahoma State has work to do after a disappointing 2025 season in which he had 134 carries for 511 yards and one rushing touchdown in 15 regular-season games. It was a massive disappointment after Hubbard reached the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career in 2024. Most of Hubbard's 2026 fantasy value derives from the fact that he's Carolina's RB1, but without a ton of pass-catching upside, he's vulnerable to Brooks and should be considered a low-end RB2/high-end RB3/flex target going into upcoming drafts.
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
Jonathon Brooks "Looking Twitchy" at Training Camp
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks caught a pass from quarterback Bryce Young in the flat, stuck his foot in the ground, and knifed through a couple of defenders for a big gain during training camp practice on Tuesday, according to Kyle Bailey. Brooks is "looking twitchy" so far in camp as he looks to get involved in 2026 following two ACL tears in his first two seasons in the league. The Panthers took the 23-year-old in the second round (46th overall) in 2024 from the University of Texas, but he has played in just three games for the organization. He has been impressing head coach Dave Canales so far, and he could earn RB2 duties behind Chuba Hubbard if he continues on this trajectory. Brooks' elite burst and elusiveness before his two ACL tears had drawn him comparisons to Jamaal Charles, and he's also an adept pass-catcher out of the backfield. There is still untapped potential here, but expect the Panthers to ease him into a complementary role behind Hubbard, at least early on in 2026. Fantasy managers definitely shouldn't forget about Brooks, though, and he has potential to be a sneaky RB3/flex option in point-per-reception leagues. RotoBaller has Brooks ranked as the No. 40 fantasy RB.
Source: Kyle Bailey
Source: Kyle Bailey
Trevor Etienne Still Has Work to Do for Redraft Value
Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne remains a long shot for useful redraft work after barely touching the offense as a rookie. He appeared in all 17 games, but 20 carries for 94 yards and three catches for 13 yards were the extent of his production. Special teams kept him active. It did not move him any closer to Chuba Hubbard, who enters camp as Carolina's clear lead back. Jonathon Brooks is also back after missing last season with his second ACL tear, and the early camp reports have been encouraging. The Panthers added AJ Dillon, too, although the veteran is fighting for a roster spot rather than walking into a guaranteed role. Etienne still has speed, youth, and fourth-round draft capital on his side. He also has to prove he can earn more than a handful of offensive snaps. RotoBaller ranks him RB84 for redraft, which is where he belongs until the backfield starts opening up. He is a preseason watch-list player in deeper formats, not someone managers need to force into ordinary drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jonathon Brooks Seeing First-Team Reps in Training Camp
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks is seeing action with the first-team offense during the team's first day of training camp practices on Thursday, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. A second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Brooks played in just three games as a rookie before suffering a knee injury that knocked him out for the remainder of 2024 and all of 2025. However, the 23-year-old appears to be fully healthy heading into 2026. The Panthers have veteran back Chuba Hubbard atop their running back depth chart, but the team let running back Rico Dowdle walk in free agency. Dowdle collected 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 275 touches for Carolina in 2025, leaving plenty of production on the table for Brooks to potentially step into in 2026. Brooks averaged over six yards per carry during his college career at Texas and was considered a high-end running back prospect before the injury issues. If he can stay healthy and put together a solid preseason, his fantasy stock will continue to rise throughout the summer.
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
Source: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
Chuba Hubbard a Low-Upside Pick in the Middle Rounds of 2026 Drafts
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has proven fully capable of handling lead back responsibilities, but without any special elements to his profile, he has no guarantees of holding onto the role once challenged for it. In an injury-plagued 2025 season, he was overtaken on the depth chart by Rico Dowdle, and now with Dowdle out the door in free agency, he'll face competition from 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks. A series of serious knee injuries have limited Brooks to only nine total carries in his professional career, but he comes into year three as healthy as he's been since the start of his final collegiate season, and he represents the much higher ceiling out of the Panthers backfield. Hubbard and Brooks are going within four running back spots of one another by current ADP, and while Hubbard will likely see the opportunity to begin the season in a starting role, his grasp on the job should be considered tentative. As RotoBaller's RB28, the sixth-year veteran has fallen to an area of drafts where fantasy managers would be better suited taking higher-upside swings, and coincidentally, one such candidate can be found in Hubbard's own running back room.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
