Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or Tyjae Spears

Sunday, October 19, 10:58 AM

Carolina Panthers running backs Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle will trade series early in Sunday's Week 7 contest against the New York Jets, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. By alternating drives, the two running backs will have an opportunity to maintain fresh legs, while the coaching staff gets a chance to decide which running back to lean on later in the game. Both running backs may play quite well to start the game and then continue to contribute in a committee for the rest of the contest. However, by alternating series, Hubbard and Dowdle will each at least have a chance to establish themselves as the primary option out of this backfield. Hubbard and Dowdle both rank as solid RB3 options this week, and they could both have standalone value in an offense that has become increasingly run-heavy. Hubbard has appeal since he was the Panthers' starter before his calf injury and is first on the depth chart, while Dowdle has appeal because he exploded for 473 yards and two touchdowns in the two weeks that Hubbard missed.

Saturday, October 18, 9:14 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears has ascended into a significant role through two weeks post-injury. Now, he'll look to handle an increased workload in Week 7 against the New England Patriots. Spears has seen a gradual increase in usage through his two games, with the most notable difference being his snap share jumping from 25 percent to 59 percent. As of last week, he was on the field more than Tony Pollard, though he still logged less than half as many rushing attempts as the veteran. One of Spears' specialties is pass catching, which has given him a path to playing time. The Patriots have allowed the third-fewest rushing yards to running backs, but the 10th-most receiving yards to the position.