Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or Kaleb Johnson

Saturday, November 15, 12:48 AM

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has become firmly entrenched in the backup role following Rico Dowdle's early-season breakout. Hubbard missed Weeks 5 and 6 due to injury, leaving Dowdle with the perfect opportunity to break out. The veteran capitalized on the opportunity, seized the lead-back role, and never looked back. As a result, Hubbard's role declined when he returned from injury, and his involvement took another step back two weeks ago. He has played fewer than 23 percent of the offensive snaps in each of his last two games, totaling just eight carries and one reception during that span. Despite signing an extension last winter, Hubbard is now a mere handcuff option behind Dowdle, a potential league-winner.

Friday, November 7, 7:59 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson was going as a late-round flier with upside in fantasy drafts this fall, but he was quickly sent to the waiver wire. The 22-year-old third-rounder out of Iowa has been a distant third on Pittsburgh's RB depth chart behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell this year, and he didn't help himself with a costly special-teams blunder early in the season. So far through his first five NFL games, Johnson has handled only 15 rushing attempts for 40 yards (2.7 yards per carry) while catching one of his two targets for nine yards. He played five offensive snaps in last week's win over the Indianapolis Colts, which was actually an improvement after not playing at all the previous two games. It will take an injury to Warren or Gainwell for Johnson to get more involved, which means he's only stash-worthy in fantasy football in dynasty/keeper leagues.