Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or Bucky Irving

Thursday, July 23, 7:00 AM

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.