Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or Breece Hall

Tuesday, July 1, 9:19 PM

The Charlotte Observer's Alex Zietlow writes that Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard "will still get the overwhelming majority of the touches" this year. Hubbard was the team's bell-cow back in 2024 with 712 snaps. He carried the ball 250 times, which ranked 11th in the NFL and second among all RBs who played 15 games or fewer. Zietlow thinks that number will drop a bit this year as the Panthers look to keep Hubbard fresh, with Rico Dowdle and rookie Trevor Etienne splitting change-of-pace carries. The 26-year-old had his first 1,000-yard rushing season with a career-high 10 touchdowns in 15 starts, adding a carer-high 43 catches for 171 yards and a score through the air. There's a good chance 2024 ends up being Hubbard's career year, as Dowdle should be much more effective than Miles Sanders was behind Hubbard last year. Fantasy managers should target Hubbard as an RB2.

Tuesday, July 1, 1:52 PM

New York Jets running back Breece Hall has had a turbulent start to his NFL career. The first ball carrier selected in the 2022 NFL Draft (No. 36 overall) suffered a torn ACL in Week 7 of his rookie campaign after an excellent start. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry and 11.5 yards per reception on 99 total touches. He has flashed upside in his last two campaigns, but New York's offensive environment with Zach Wilson or Aaron Rodgers was not conducive to high-level production, and he's averaged fewer than 4.6 yards per carry since the start of his sophomore campaign. Heading into Year 4, Hall is determined to put his name back in the "high-end" running back discussion. "Just proving that I'm still the guy and still one of the best in the league," Hall said. "Just trying to go out there every weekend and prove that I deserve to be out there." While quarterback Justin Fields has plenty of question marks as a passer, his rushing skill set could open running lanes for Hall behind a potentially improved Jets offensive line. New York's coaching staff has hinted at a split backfield with second-year pro Braelon Allen, but Hall should continue to be viewed as the starter for Gang Green. That said, Fields likely won't target running backs often in the passing game based on his previous trends.