Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or RJ Harvey

Thursday, September 4, 10:09 AM

The Carolina Panthers don't plan to "run Chuba Hubbard dry" early in the season, per ESPN's David Newton. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as Hubbard set career highs in carries and receptions last year, averaging nearly 20 attempts per game before missing the final two contests with a calf injury. Carolina added depth to the backfield this offseason, signing 2024 1,000-yard rusher Rico Dowdle and drafting Trevor Etienne in the fourth round, signaling more of a committee approach in 2025. Still, Hubbard enters the season as the clear lead back on what could be a breakout offense under Bryce Young. While his volume may dip slightly, his role as the top option keeps him firmly in the fantasy RB2 mix.

Friday, September 5, 12:37 AM

Although Denver Broncos rookie running back RJ Harvey was drafted in the second round in April and impressed during training camp, he was listed as the RB2 behind J.K. Dobbins on the team's initial 2025 depth chart. Dobbins is expected to "start" the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the Titans, but fantasy managers shouldn't read too much into that and should still consider the 24-year-old Harvey worth starting as an RB3/flex in his first NFL regular-season game. Denver is currently eight-point favorites at home against Tenneessee, a team that allowed 133.9 rushing yards per game (seventh-most) and 22.1 half-PPR points to RBs (10th-most) in 2024. Dobbins' presence surely lowers Harvey's fantasy ceiling, but the Central Florida product is younger, healthier, and has more home run potential. By season's end, Harvey is expected to take over the "starting" role from Dobbins.