Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or Isaac Guerendo

Monday, December 30, 6:15 PM

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said on Monday that running back Chuba Hubbard (calf) will not require surgery for his strained calf. Hubbard was placed on season-ending Injured Reserve last week and will miss the final two games of the 2024 regular season. It's a downer to end what was a brilliant campaign for the 25-year-old in his fourth year in the NFL. He set career-highs in rushing attempts (250), rushing yards (1,195), rushing touchdowns (10) and receptions (43) while recording 171 receiving yards and an additional touchdown in his 15 starts. In terms of half-PPR points per game (14.9), Hubbard was the RB12 in fantasy. Although the Panthers have another promising back they drafted in 2024 in Jonathon Brooks, he has yet to be healthy, and Carolina also signed Hubbard to a four-year extension last month. Hubbard should enter 2025 as the team's unquestioned RB1.

Friday, June 6, 12:54 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo (ankle, knee) has been taking part in voluntary organized team activities this spring after injuring his MCL and spraining his ankle in the Week 18 regular-season finale last year. Guerendo, a fourth-round pick (129th overall) in 2024, should be a full-go for the start of mandatory minicamp on June 10. All-Pro Christian McCaffrey (knee) is also back and ready to roll after missing the majority of the 2024 campaign, so Guerendo will enter the 2025 season as the backup, but Jordan Mason was traded to the Minnesota Vikings and Elijah Mitchell left in free agency. The 24-year-old Guerendo had 5.0 yards per carry on his 84 rushing attempts last year for 420 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games (three starts), adding 15 catches for 152 yards through the air. Consider him a high-upside handcuff behind the injury-prone CMC.