Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or Ronnie Rivers

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.

Sunday, March 16, 3:14 PM

The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to re-sign running back Ronnie Rivers to a one-year deal. The contract amount has not been disclosed. Rivers has spent the last three seasons with LA, though he never garnered more than 32 carries despite appearing in 34 games since 2022. He's a versatile back and profiles to be a solid handcuff if ever called upon in that capacity. However, he's more of an asset on special teams for the Rams, piling up 75.7% of his 2024 snaps in that phase of the game. The 26-year-old will continue to vie for offensive snaps with backup Blake Corum behind incumbent starter Kyren Williams. Rivers can currently be ignored for fantasy purposes.