Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or Bucky Irving
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.6 | 49.2 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 13.5 | 0.1 |
Chuba Hubbard News
Thursday, August 13, 7:32 AM
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.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.7 | 56.8 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 19.1 | 0.1 |
Bucky Irving News
Friday, August 7, 8:28 AM
The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud writes that Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is making a big impression on new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in training camp. "His feet are always in the ground," Robinson said. "So he's always able to change direction and, obviously, that keeps him so balanced to be able to break tackles." Irving missed all of the team's organized team activities in May and June while rehabbing a shoulder injury, but he is back now and is looking quick and decisive since pads went on this past week. "Bucky is a stud," Robinson said. Irving had a great rookie year in former OC Liam Coen's outside-zone running scheme, and Robinson's and Coen's offensive styles are similar. The 23-year-old had a 1,000-yard rushing season with eight touchdowns as a rookie, but injuries slowed him down in 2025, and he finished with 588 rushing yards and only one TD in 10 games. A bounce-back in 2026 should be coming for Irving if he stays healthy, but injury risk and the addition of pass-catching back Kenny Gainwell figure to limit Irving's overall ceiling as more of an RB2 in his third NFL campaign. Stroud also mentions Gainwell's seamless transition to Tampa's RB room.
Chuba Hubbard vs. Bucky Irving
Still trying to decide between Hubbard and Irving? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Chuba Hubbard is projected to score 10.6 points this week while Bucky Irving is projected to score 12.7 points.
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