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 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: Involved as receiver
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Hubbard rushed twice for 16 yards and caught all five of his targets for 34 yards in Monday night's 20-17 loss to the Saints.
Hubbard received only a couple of opportunities in the running game but again was efficient. Through two games, he's totaled 76 yards on just 11 carries behind starter Miles Sanders. That said, he made a bigger impact Monday as a pass catcher, placing second on the Panthers in catches. His production should keep him involved as the backup in Week 3 versus the Seahawks.
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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: Expected to see action Sunday
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Coach Frank Reich said Hubbard will "see action" behind Miles Sanders in Sunday's game against the Falcons, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.
Reich said the Panthers will approach Week 1 like Sanders is "full go," but Hubbard looks like the clear No. 2 back in Carolina, ahead of Raheem Blackshear. Hubbard still has very little fantasy value outside of deeper leagues with Sanders healthy.
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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.
Hubbard has new competition in the Carolina backfield with Miles Sanders replacing D'Onta Foreman, WCNC's Nathaniel Puente reports.
Sanders recently signed a four-year, $25.4 million contract, including $13 million guaranteed, while Foreman settled for a much smaller one-year deal with the Bears after playing out last year on a similar contract for Carolina. Foreman and Hubbard handled the vast majority of RB snaps/touches after the team traded Christian McCaffrey, with Hubbard notably finishing the year on a high note as he racked up 435 total yards over his final five games. The 2021 fourth-round pick now figures to take a backseat to Sanders, whose uneven tenure in Philadelphia was capped off by a career-best 259-1,269-11 rushing line last season. The Panthers could still add more backfield talent, or perhaps find a passing-down role for Raheem Blackshear, given that Sanders and Hubbard both have struggled with drops and don't look especially natural as receivers or blockers. Hubbard's new role might just be as a backup on early downs, with upside dependent on Sanders missing time.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Tops 20 carries
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Hubbard rushed 21 times for 69 yards in Sunday's 10-7 win over the Saints.
Hubbard's season high in carries came after teammate D'Onta Foreman was ejected early in the third quarter. Although he wasn't very efficient with his involvement Sunday, Hubbard's importance behind Foreman grew this season after the Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey in October. In 15 games, Hubbard rushed 95 times for 466 yards (4.9 per carry) for two touchdowns, and caught 14 of 17 targets for 171 yards. Despite Carolina facing uncertainty over their coach, quarterback and starting tailback next season -- when it's unclear whether Foreman will return -- Hubbard's dependability through his first two seasons could see him remain involved as a complementary option regardless of the surrounding pieces.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Stands out as receiver Sunday
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Hubbard rushed three times for 12 yards and secured all three targets for 53 yards in the Panthers' 30-24 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday. He also committed a fumble recovered by Carolina.
Hubbard's rushing work unexpectedly dried up, but he did salvage his day somewhat with his solid work through the air. The second-year back's carry total was his lowest since Week 6, but he does have a trio of three-catch efforts over the last four games going into a Week 18 road matchup against the Saints.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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The Panthers proved in Week 16 against Detroit that they can run on anyone when D'Onta Foreman and Hubbard combined for 33 carries for 290 yards and a touchdown. Coming into that game, the Lions run defense had been unstoppable for eight games in a row. Tampa Bay's run defense is also stout (No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs), but Foreman and Hubbard had 24 carries for 181 yards and a touchdown in Week 7 against the Buccaneers in the first game for Carolina after trading Christian McCaffrey. For this week, I'll consider Foreman and Hubbard both flex options, and Hubbard might be the better of the two with his role in the passing game. Prior to Week 16, Hubbard had three catches in each of his past two games on six targets, and Tampa Bay has allowed three running backs to catch at least five passes in the past three games.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Sleeper RBs
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The Panthers proved in Week 16 against Detroit that they can run on anyone when D'Onta Foreman and Hubbard combined for 33 carries for 290 yards and a touchdown. Coming into that game, the Lions run defense had been unstoppable for eight games in a row. Tampa Bay's run defense is also stout (No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs), but Foreman and Hubbard had 24 carries for 181 yards and a touchdown in Week 7 against the Buccaneers in the first game for Carolina after trading Christian McCaffrey. For this week, I'll consider Foreman and Hubbard both flex options, and Hubbard might be the better of the two with his role in the passing game. Prior to Week 16, Hubbard had three catches in each of his past two games on six targets, and Tampa Bay has allowed three running backs to catch at least five passes in the past three games.
Hubbard has more upside than Moss or Haskins, but I'm terrified of his floor. That's partially because he had four carries for 10 yards just a week ago against the Steelers, partially because Tampa has been elite against the run at times this season, and partially because Raheem Blackshear keeps popping up at inconvenient times. Last week Blackshear stole a touchdown and was the only Panthers back to receive a target. If Hubbard gets shut out again in the passing game he could have a disastrous Week 17. But he's also topped 12 PPR points in two of his past three games.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Week 17 Waiver Priority List
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Prior to facing the Panthers in Week 16, the Lions had gone eight games in a row keeping a running back to 10 PPR points or less. But D'Onta Foreman and Hubbard ran through Detroit for a combined 290 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries, and Hubbard had 12 carries for 125 yards as part of the damage. He's now scored at least 12 PPR points in two of his past three games, with a low of nine over that span, and he had three catches in each outing prior to Week 16. We'll see if he can keep it going in Week 17 at Tampa Bay, which is a tough run defense, but Hubbard had nine carries for 63 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 10 yards on three targets against the Buccaneers in Week 7. That was the first game for Carolina after trading Christian McCaffrey, and Hubbard hurt his ankle in that contest. For Week 17, consider Hubbard a high-end flex in all leagues.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Week 17 Early Waiver Targets (Add/Drop)
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The Lions had been a pretty good run defense over the past few months, but the Panthers had absolutely no trouble gashing them Sunday. Hubbard took a backseat to D'Onta Foreman but was still tremendous, averaging 10.4 yards per carry on his 12 totes. Hubbard has double-digit touches in three of his past four games on a team that is intent on running the ball as much as possible, and though the Buccaneers can be a tough matchup for running backs, their lack of offensive firepower this season means the Panthers should be able to keep it close enough to run it plenty yet again. Hubbard and Foreman combined for 181 yards on 24 carries in Week 7 against them, and Hubbard has played himself into RB3 contention in this offense.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Gets over 100-yard mark in win
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Hubbard rushed 12 times for 125 yards in the Panthers' 37-23 win over the Lions on Saturday.
The second-year back teamed with backfield mate D'Onta Foreman to consistently rip off chunk plays against what had been an improving Lions run defense, although 65 of Hubbard's yards actually came on his first two carries of the contest. Hubbard's yardage total was a career high and marked only his second time eclipsing the century mark, and he'll aim to once again play a key role when the Panthers visit the Buccaneers for a critical Week 17 matchup on Sun., Jan. 1 that could decide the NFC South title.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Week 16 Waiver Priority List
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Hubbard is the better Fantasy running back in Carolina this week against the Lions, who have become a brutal matchup as the season has gone on. No running back has scored more than 10 PPR points against Detroit in the past eight games, and that's a reason to avoid D'Onta Foreman this week in all formats. But at least Hubbard has a role in the passing game with three catches and three targets in each of his past two outings against Seattle and Pittsburgh. He could help you as a flex in PPR if needed, and hopefully Sam Darnold continues to throw Hubbard the ball against the Lions in Week 16.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Impact as receiver
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Hubbard rushed four times for 10 yards and caught all three of his targets for 57 yards in Sunday's 24-16 loss to the Steelers.
Hubbard actually led the Panthers in rushing yards, evidencing their struggles in the ground game. Despite that situation, he still made a strong impact as a receiver, going for a game-long gain of 45 yards at one point. Without a double-digit touch count like in his two games prior, however, Hubbard's output came from fewer opportunities.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Start Him (Lineup Decisions)
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Hubbard is a Sneaky Sleeper more than a must-start. The Steelers aren't a tough matchup anymore. Instead, the worries for each back are related to their ability to score -- Foreman is still more likely to plunge from short yardage than Hubbard. But Hubbard definitely has a role in the offense and should be counted on for a few catches each week -- he has sleeper appeal with an eight-point PPR floor. Foreman has a much better opportunity to rumble for solid yardage and score, putting him in the No. 2 running back convo. In PPR, I'd start Foreman over Najee Harris, Brian Robinson and both Buccaneers RBs. In PPR, I'd start Chuba Hubbard as a low-end flex over Rex Burkhead, Kareem Hunt and A.J. Dillon.
