Who Should I Start? Allen Lazard or Chuba Hubbard

Sunday, September 7, 12:39 PM

New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard is a healthy scratch for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Davante Adams departing for the Los Angeles Rams in the offseason, Lazard was expected to be a starter behind Garrett Wilson in 2025, but that doesn't appear to be the case early on. The 29-year-old was a major disappointment in 2023 after signing a four-year, $44 million deal but bounced back slightly last year by catching 37 passes for 530 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games. Josh Reynolds has secured WR2 duties in New York with a strong training camp and preseason, and with Lazard being a healthy scratch in Week 1, it looks like Tyler Johnson will get first crack at WR3 duties in what is expected to be a run-heavy offense under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn.

Monday, September 8, 3:35 AM

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard caught the team's lone touchdown in a 23-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. With just under five minutes left in the game, quarterback Bryce Young hit Hubbard in the flat, and after evading a shoestring tackle, he was able to race up the sideline unchallenged for the 27-yard score. Hubbard had an otherwise unremarkable game, logging 16 carries for 57 rushing yards and turning five targets into three receptions for 32 yards and the trip to the end zone. The one positive is Hubbard's dominance of the Panthers' backfield duties. Rico Dowdle saw only three carries, and Hubbard outsnapped his new understudy at a 2-to-1 clip. Hubbard and the Panthers will take to the road to face the Cardinals in Week 2.