Who Should I Start? Chuba Hubbard or Zach Charbonnet

Saturday, August 9, 3:50 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard opened the preseason with three rushes for 10 yards in Friday's 30-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns. While his stats were light, the 26-year-old is expected to resume his role as the team's lead back after an impressive 2024 campaign. Last year, Hubbard emerged as a bell-cow, capitalizing on injuries to Miles Sanders and Jonathon Brooks (knee) to post a stat line of 250 rushes for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, along with 43 receptions for 171 yards and one touchdown through the air in 15 games. He signed a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension in the middle of the season. RotoBaller projects Hubbard as RB17 heading into the regular season, reflecting his expected workload as the top option in the Carolina backfield and a steady, high-end RB2.

Saturday, August 16, 10:49 AM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet looked like he was in midseason form on Friday against the Chiefs. Charbonnet rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown on just five carries. Although the preseason is not always predictive of the regular season, Charbonnet's performance is encouraging for fantasy managers who believe he has a chance to split time with starting running back Kenneth Walker III. Charbonnet was a fantasy gem in 2024 when Walker missed time. Walker has had trouble staying healthy throughout his career, making Charbonnet one of the most valuable handcuffs in the league at worst. If Friday's game is any indication, the Seahawks' running scheme should be substantially improved in 2025 under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Improvements in the running scheme will benefit Charbonnet greatly this season.