Who Should I Start? Dameon Pierce or Trevor Etienne

Wednesday, May 27, 5:36 AM

Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne was a non-factor for fantasy after being selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the door remains at least partially open for him to claim a role in his second season. With the team's leading rusher from 2025, Rico Dowdle, signing a two-year deal with the Steelers, the lead back job has been turned back over to Chuba Hubbard, who did what he could to fight through injuries but ultimately disappointed in the first year of the four-year extension he signed in 2024. Behind him on the depth chart is 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, who was the first running back selected in his draft class but has become a giant question mark after tearing his ACL for the second time in 13 months as a rookie and missing the entirety of his sophomore campaign. With Hubbard one of the least efficient pass-catching backs in the league over the past two seasons, how much Brooks can provide as a receiver will prove to be the single biggest obstacle to Etienne finding work in 2026. Etienne was a capable receiving back in college, and if he can carve out any sort of third-down role with the Panthers, he at least has a chance to outplay expectations as RotoBaller's dynasty RB95.