Hubbard was quietly efficient behind a Panthers offensive line that got into an excellent groove on the ground in the second half. Hubbard averaged 4.9 yards per carry and even showed an evolved ability to impact the pass game (sixth-best yards per route run). He could operate in a similar role in 2023 if free agent acquisition Miles Sanders operates in a similar role to what D'Onta Foreman was for them in 2022, but there's also a chance Sanders eats into his role - specifically on passing downs. Hubbard is a middling dart throw in the final rounds given Sanders' injury history.
Hubbard just had his best game of the season in Week 12 at Tennessee with 20.2 PPR points. He scored just his second touchdown of the year, and he had five catches for 47 yards on five targets. We'll see what happens with Hubbard and Miles Sanders with Frank Reich now gone as the Panthers head coach, but I would only use Hubbard as a flex option at Tampa Bay in Week 13. The Buccaneers are No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Tampa Bay has allowed just two rushing touchdowns to running backs this season. It will be especially tough for Hubbard if Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (groin) is able to play after missing Week 12 against the Colts.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Effective in loss
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Hubbard rushed the ball 14 times for 45 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 17-10 loss to the Titans. He added five receptions on five targets for 47 yards.
Miles Sanders saw an increased workload in the loss, but Hubbard's opportunity was largely undisturbed. He accounted for the Panthers' only touchdown on a five-yard run midway through the third quarter, but the majority of the rest of his production came as a pass catcher. That allowed him to rack up his highest yardage total from scrimmage this season. Despite fairly steady opportunity, Hubbard is likely to remain reliant upon receiving work and touchdowns to post significant performances.
Hubbard rushed 10 times for 57 yards and brought in both targets for eight yards in the Panthers' 33-10 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday.
Hubbard logged one less carry than backfield mate Miles Sanders, who saw a notable resurgence in rushing work Sunday, but the former outgained his teammate by seven yards on the ground. Hubbard has seen double-digit rush attempts in four of the last five games, falling just one short of doing so in Week 10 as well. Therefore, despite Sanders' reintegration into the ground attack, Hubbard should retain a significant role in a Week 12 road battle against the Titans.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Sit
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We'll see how much longer Hubbard remains in the lead running back role for the Panthers, but he's struggled just as much as Miles Sanders. In his past three games, Hubbard has averaged 6.0 PPR points against Houston, Indianapolis and Chicago, and he only has one touchdown on the season. The Cowboys are No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Hubbard and the entire Panthers offense will be tough to trust in this matchup. Hubbard is a desperation flex option at best in Week 11.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Serves as lead back in loss
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Hubbard rushed nine times for 23 yards and brought in both targets for 16 yards in the Panthers' 16-13 loss to the Bears on Thursday night.
Hubbard outpaced backfield mate Miles Sanders by seven carries but couldn't do much with his workload against one of the league's top run defenses. The third-year back fell just short of a third straight double-digit carry tally, and he appears to have a grip on the top role in the ground attack for the time being. Hubbard and the rest of the Panthers offense draw an unenviable matchup against an aggressive Cowboys defense in a Week 11 clash on Nov. 19.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Sit (Start/Sit)
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We'll see how the Panthers use Hubbard and Miles Sanders on Thursday night at Chicago, but Hubbard should remain in the lead role. However, I'd only consider him a flex option in this matchup. He struggled in Week 9 against the Colts despite 20 total touches (16 carries and four catches on six targets) with just 67 total yards, and Chicago's run defense has improved of late. The Bears have not allowed a running back to gain more than 44 yards on the ground, along with no rushing touchdowns, in the past four games against Alexander Mattison, Josh Jacobs, Austin Ekeler and Alvin Kamara. Now, Mattison, Ekeler and Kamara did damage in the passing game as each had four catches, so Hubbard might win there. But if Sanders gets more work in this game then Hubbard could be a total dud.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Sleeper RBs
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We'll see if Hubbard remains the lead running back for the Panthers in Week 9 against the Colts, but he dominated playing time in Week 8 against the Texans after he played 67 percent of the snaps, even with Miles Sanders healthy. Now, Hubbard managed just 15 carries for 28 yards and two catches for 26 yards on two targets against the Texans, but he could be a flex if he remains in this role for Week 9. The Colts have allowed seven running backs to score at least 15.1 PPR points this season, including six in the past five games.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Named Week 9 starter
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Coach Frank Reich confirmed Friday that Hubbard will start at running back Sunday against the Colts, Steve Reed of The Associated Press reports.
Hubbard started the Panthers' previous two games, the first of which Miles Sanders missed due to a shoulder injury. Sanders returned in Carolina's 15-13 Week 8 win over the Texans, but Hubbard had 17 touches to Sanders' two. Reich said the two running backs will split carries against Indianapolis, so Hubbard may cede a larger portion of touches to Sanders despite maintaining his starting role.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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It remains to be seen if Hubbard will remain the lead running back for the Panthers in Week 9 against the Colts, but he dominated playing time in Week 8 against the Texans. Hubbard played 67 percent of the snaps last week, even with a healthy Miles Sanders in the running back stable. While Hubbard managed just 15 carries for 28 yards and two catches for 26 yards on two targets against the Texans, he could be a flex if he remains in this role for Week 9. The Colts have allowed seven running backs to score at least 15.1 PPR points this season, including six in the past five games.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Strong showing as lead back
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Hubbard carried the ball 19 times for 88 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 42-21 loss to the Dolphins. He added one reception for two yards.
Hubbard accounted for 19 of Carolina's 25 rushing attempts in the absence of Miles Sanders (shoulder). He delivered consistent gains to keep the offense on schedule and also sprinkled in a long gain of 17 yards as well as a six-yard touchdown run. Hubbard was curiously disregarded as a receiver -- he had multiple targets in every game leading up to Sunday's matchup -- though his rushing volume left little to complain about. Carolina will head into a Week 7 bye, but there's at least a possibility that Hubbard will have the chance to lead the backfield again in a Week 8 matchup against Houston.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Sleeper RBs
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Miles Sanders (shoulder) was ruled out for Week 6 at Miami, which means Hubbard will serve as the lead running back for the Panthers. He's worth using as a low-end No. 2 running back or flex option in the majority of Fantasy leagues. Hubbard has four games this season with at least seven total touches, and he scored at least 8.9 PPR points in two of them. Last year, Hubbard did well with an increased workload, and hopefully that happens against the Dolphins. He had five games in 2022 with at least 10 total touches, and he scored at least 12.5 PPR points in three of them. The Dolphins have allowed four running backs this season to score at least 14.7 PPR points with Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Rhamondre Stevenson and James Cook. Those are four of six running backs with at least 13 total touches against Miami this year, and the two who failed to succeed were Javonte Williams in Week 3 (8.5 PPR points) and Eric Gray in Week 5 (3.6 PPR points). I'm not expecting a huge game from Hubbard against Miami -- Sanders only has two games this year with more than 7.7 PPR points -- but hopefully Hubbard can dominate touches and post a quality stat line.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Likely to lead backfield Sunday
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Hubbard is expected to serve as the Panthers' lead back Sunday against the Dolphins with Miles Sanders (shoulder) ruled out for the contest, David Newton of ESPN.com reports. "We'll do it by committee, but Chuba will more than likely get the bulk of the carries,'' head coach Frank Reich said.
Hubbard had already seemingly worked his way into a timeshare with Sanders the past two weeks, playing 73 snaps on offense to the latter's 64 while out-touching him 26-23 during that stretch. With Sanders sidelined Week 6, Hubbard could be ticketed for a true three-down role for the first time this season, though Reich's comments suggest that Laviska Shenault and third-string back Raheem Blackshear -- who has been inactive the past four weeks -- could be sprinkled into the backfield mix. Regardless, Hubbard should handily outpace Shenault and Blackshear for snaps and touches, making him a viable option in fantasy lineups this week.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Week 6 Waiver Priority List
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For the second week in a row, Hubbard played more snaps than Miles Sanders, and hopefully that's not a trend. But Sanders has battled a groin injury recently, and he might not be at 100 percent. Hubbard hasn't exactly done much with the increased playing time with a combined 11.8 PPR points in the past two games against the Vikings and Lions, but it's worth stashing Hubbard just in case he takes on a bigger role moving forward. He's worth an investment for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Week 5 Adds (RB Preview)
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Miles Sanders is bothered by his groin again and Carolina has a terrible matchup in Week 5. Hubbard could get a quarter or more of garbage time and Carolina is throwing to its backs a lot. You could do a lot worse as a desperation flex.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Week 3 Adds (RB Preview)
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Hubbard is playing more of a 1B role than a true backup role in Carolina. While that's bad news for Miles Sanders, it means Hubbard is a flex with upside on a weekly basis. He's scored 18.9 PPR Fantasy points in two games and hasn't reached the end zone yet. There's weekly low-end RB2 upside in his role, especially when Carolina is playing from behind.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Productive season opener
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Hubbard rushed nine times for 60 yards and caught both of his targets for nine more yards in Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Falcons.
Hubbard's output on the ground was helped by a rush of 21 yards, which was Carolina's longest offensive play of the game. His 11 touches marked decent usage for a second-string tailback, even while starter Miles Sanders commanded twice as many. Hubbard figures to remain in a similar role Week 2 versus the Saints.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Not suiting up Friday
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Hubbard isn't slated to play in Friday's preseason game versus the Lions, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Hubbard injured his ankle last Friday against the Giants, and while he was able to return to practice Monday, the Panthers will exercise caution with the third-year pro. He'll be joined on the sideline by fellow running back Miles Sanders (groin), which will leave Carolina's backfield in the hands of Raheem Blackshear, Spencer Brown and Camerun Peoples. Hubbard's next chance for game action will arrive in a Week 1 road game with the Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 10.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Back at practice
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Hubbard (ankle) returned to practice Monday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
As did starter Miles Sanders, who missed the past week and a half with a groin injury. Hubbard made it back even faster, practicing only three days after he suffered an ankle injury in Friday's 21-19 preseason loss to the Giants. Sanders' absence allowed Hubbard to start the first two preseason games, in which he carried 12 times for 39 yards and caught his lone target for three yards. With those two locked in atop the depth chart, the real question in Carolina's backfield is how things play out behind them between Raheem Blackshear, Spencer Brown and Camerun Peoples.
Coach Frank Reich said Hubbard sustained an ankle injury during Friday's 21-19 preseason loss at the Giants, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
For a second consecutive contest, Hubbard started for the hobbled Miles Sanders (groin), turning his eight carries into 30 yards. Now that the Panthers' top two running backs are injured, the team is left with Raheem Blackshear, Spencer Brown and Camerun Peoples as its healthy running backs. While Sanders likely will be sidelined until Week 1, it remains to be seen if Hubbard will be able to play in the preseason final on Friday, Aug. 25 versus the Lions.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Gets start with Sanders sidelined
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Hubbard rushed four times for nine yards and caught his only target for three yards in Saturday's 27-0 preseason loss to the Jets.
Hubbard worked with the first-team offense in the absence of Miles Sanders (groin). None of the team's starters looked particularly impressive in this one, but Hubbard's usage here suggests he's viewed as the primary backup to Sanders. The Panthers are likely to take a cautious approach with Sanders' injury prior to the regular season, so Hubbard's may draw another start in Carolina's second preseason game against the Giants.
