Should I Start Chuba Hubbard?

Tuesday, September 8, 1:32 PM

On the Carolina Panthers' Week 1 unofficial 53-man depth chart, running back Chuba Hubbard is listed as the RB1 over Jonathon Brooks, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. As always, fantasy managers should not be reading too much into an unofficial depth chart before the start of the regular season. The 27-year-old Hubbard is the more experienced, longer-tenured RB on the Panthers' roster after rushing for 3,686 yards and 23 touchdowns in his five seasons in the NFL with the Panthers. The former fourth-rounder in 2021 from Oklahoma State broke out with 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns on 250 carries in 15 games in 2024, adding 43 catches for 171 yards and another score as a receiver, but Rico Dowdle took over the team's backfield last year, leaving Hubbard as a disappointment with only 511 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground in 15 regular-season games. Going into 2026, Hubbard's stock has fallen to that of an RB3/flex option, with Brooks having an opportunity to take over the backfield if he can finally stay healthy (he has already suffered two torn ACLs since being drafted in 2024). Behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league, Hubbard and Brooks may find running lanes hard to come by in 2026.