Hubbard (calf/knee), who is on IR, won't need any surgery in the offseason, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Hubbard put together a career-best season for the Panthers, rushing for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns on 250 carries while adding 171 yards and one touchdown on 43 receptions. However, the 25-year-old will finish the campaign on IR after suffering a Grade 2 calf strain late in the season. Since Hubbard won't need surgery on either the calf or the knee, he's likely to be ready to play by the start of the 2025 campaign. He's expected to be Carolina's top running back next season after signing a four-year contract extension this November.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Lands on IR
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Hubbard (calf/knee) has been placed on IR by the Panthers, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Hubbard, who was limited at practice Friday, was initially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers. However, after practice Hubbard noted that he was dealing with some pain, and an MRI Friday night revealed a Grade 2 calf strain. With Hubbard sidelined for Carolina's final two games, Raheem Blackshear, as well as practice squad members Mike Boone and Emani Bailey, are next up for the team's backfield work. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Blackshear and Boone (pending his elevation) are likely to share RB duties versus Tampa Bay.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Expected to land on IR
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The Panthers are expected to place Hubbard -- who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers -- on injured reserve due to a calf and knee injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero report.
Per Pelissero, the injury that is slated to lead to the anticipated roster move is not considered major, but the 4-11 Panthers, who are not in playoff contention, don't want to make it worse. In Hubbard's looming absence for the team's final two games, Raheem Blackshear is on track to see an expanded role, with Mike Boone and Emani Bailey candidates to be elevated from Carolina's practice squad.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Status in question for Sunday
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Hubbard (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay.
Hubbard's listed DNP on Wednesday was attributed to rest, but he's since managed a pair of limited sessions due to a knee injury, leaving his status up in the air for Week 17. The Panthers will confirm his availability, or lack thereof, about 90 minutes before Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. If he's able to suit up, Hubbard will be taking on a Buccaneers defense that contained him to 43 yards on 12 carries back in Week 13.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Limited by knee injury
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Hubbard practiced in a limited capacity Thursday due to a knee injury.
Hubbard was listed as a non-participant on the Panthers' first Week 17 injury report Wednesday with rest, so it's unclear if his practice restrictions a day later are related to maintenance or indicative of a potential health concern suffered during Thursday's session. Friday's practice report could provide clarity on that front for a running back that's coming off his fourth 100-yard rushing performance of the campaign this past Sunday against the Cardinals.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Explodes for 165 yards and two TDs
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Hubbard took 25 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns while chipping in four receptions for 13 yards in Sunday's 36-30 overtime win over Arizona.
Hubbard was the hero for Carolina in Sunday's unlikely victory when he ripped off a pair of huge runs on consecutive plays in overtime that culminated in the game-winning score. The breakout fantasy star was coming off of his worst performance since Week 1 (10-32-0 in Week 15), so Sunday's outburst was reassuring for fantasy managers still vying for a championship this season. Hubbard and the Panthers can continue playing the role of spoiler against the Buccaneers next Sunday after successfully knocking the Cardinals out of playoff contention.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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Hubbard struggled in Week 15 against Dallas with 8.9 PPR points, but I expect him to rebound in Week 16 against Arizona. Hubbard will continue to dominate touches -- he played 95 percent of the snaps against the Cowboys -- and the Cardinals have allowed a running back to score at least 11.8 PPR points in six of the past seven games. He should be considered a high-end No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Contrarian DFS Play
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Hubbard is coming off one of his worst games of the season. But nothing in this game changed the fact that he's still a workhorse with 25-touch potential in a given week. I think Carolina can keep this game competitive and that means good things for Hubbard. He's cheaper than he should be and his roster rate will be lower than it should be as well.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Can't get going in Week 15
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Hubbard rushed the ball 10 times for 32 yards in Sunday's 30-14 loss to the Cowboys. He added four receptions on four targets for 17 yards.
Hubbard led the backfield as expected with Jonathon Brooks (knee) sidelined. However, he couldn't get things going, in large part because Carolina ran only 50 offensive plays. That led to his lowest yardage output on the ground since Week 1. Positively, Hubbard did remain involved as a pass catcher, as this marked his third game with at least four catches in his last five matchups.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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Hubbard had another standout game in Week 14 at Philadelphia with 20.7 PPR points, and the Panthers lost Jonathon Brooks (ACL) for the season against the Eagles. Hubbard will once again dominate touches heading into Week 15 at Dallas, and he has scored at least 15.0 PPR points in four of his past five games. The Cowboys have allowed three running backs to score at least 14.5 PPR points in their past four games, and I like Hubbard as a top-10 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Could see workload grow sans Brooks
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Hubbard has an unimpeded path to close out the 2024 campaign in a workhorse role out of the backfield for Carolina, with Jonathan Brooks (knee) having suffered a season-ending ACL tear during Sunday's 22-16 loss to the Eagles, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Hubbard has established himself as the clear No. 1 option leading the Panthers' rushing attack this season, and he rushed 26 times for 92 yards and one touchdown versus Philadelphia, but there had been an assumption that Brooks' involvement would ramp up down the stretch. With the rookie second-round pick having re-torn his right ACL, though, Carolina's roster no longer features anyone even resembling a threat to Hubbard's dominant share of reps. Raheem Blackshear (chest) is considered day-to-day, while veteran Miles Sanders (ankle) won't be eligible to come off IR until Week 16 against Arizona, at the earliest. Head coach Dave Canales said practice-squad player Mike Boone currently is in line to handle the No. 2 role behind Hubbard at practice and potentially Week 15 versus Dallas, per Steve Reed of the Associated Press.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Huge workload in Philly
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Hubbard carried the ball 26 times for 92 yards and a touchdown and caught four of five targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 22-16 loss to the Eagles.
Rookie Jonathon Brooks left the game in the first quarter with an injury to his right knee, the same one he had ACL surgery on about a year ago, while depth RB Raheem Blackshear was also knocked out of the game early with a chest injury. That left Hubbard as Carolina's only option in the backfield, and he turned the extra volume into his best performance since Week 10. The fourth-year back also crossed 1,000 rushing yards on the season, the first time in his career he's reached that plateau. If Brooks' injury proves to be serious, Hubbard is likely headed for a heavy workload again in Week 15 against the Cowboys.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Sit
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Hubbard is more of a bust alert than a must-sit running back, but I don't like the setup for him in Week 14. He's on the road at Philadelphia, and the Eagles are 12-point favorites. Philadelphia is also No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and only four running backs have topped 12 PPR points against the Eagles in their past eight games, with four touchdowns allowed to the position all season. Hubbard also just had 12 carries for 43 yards and no targets in Week 13 against Tampa Bay, which is the second game he's played with Jonathon Brooks. It's the fewest total touches for Hubbard since Week 1, and this could be a sign of things to come. I would only use Hubbard as a flex option in the majority of leagues in Week 14.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Role begins to shrink
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Hubbard rushed the ball 12 times for 43 yards in Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss to the Buccaneers. He was not targeted.
Hubbard continued to lead the Carolina backfield, though he out-touched Jonathon Brooks by a margin of only 12-9. He was also held in check for most of the game, as his longest gain went for only nine yards and he had a fumble in overtime that cost the Panthers a chance at victory. Perhaps most concerning in regards to role was Hubbard's lack of involvement as a receiver, as this marked only the third time this season that he wasn't targeted. He has at least four receptions in six contests for the campaign, which has served as a significant portion of his fantasy value.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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In his first game with Jonathon Brooks in Week 12 against Kansas City, Hubbard still dominated playing time with 89 percent of the snaps. He finished with 16 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 2 yards on five targets, and Hubbard has now scored at least 15 PPR points in three games in a row. He's worth starting in all leagues in Week 13 against Tampa Bay, and the Buccaneers are No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Four running backs have scored at least 13.5 PPR points against the Buccaneers in the past four games, and Hubbard has top-15 Fantasy upside in all leagues in Week 13.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Sit
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Hubbard is more of a bust alert than a must-sit running back, but this could be a tough week for him for two reasons. For starters, this is the worst matchup for any running back since the Chiefs are No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to the position. Only four running backs have scored touchdowns against Kansas City this season, and the Chiefs should be able to focus on stopping Hubbard since he's Carolina's best offensive weapon. But we also know the Panthers plan to use Jonathon Brooks for the first time this year, and we'll see how much work the rookie running back gets in tandem with Hubbard. He's still worth starting as a low-end No. 2 running back in the majority of leagues, but I'm worried about Hubbard's production in this matchup, along with the presence of Brooks.
Hubbard agreed to a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension with the Panthers on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Hubbard is able to earn an additional $4 million in incentives, and he'll receive $15 million fully guaranteed as part of the new deal, which keeps him in the fold through the 2028 season. A 2021 fourth-round pick, Hubbard produced 1,135 yards from scrimmage over 17 games last season, emerging as Carolina's top back after free-agent signee Miles Sanders struggled and eventually lost the starting gig. Carolina then invested a second-round pick into Jonathon Brooks (knee) in the 2024 NFL Draft, but with Brooks having not yet made his debut, Hubbard has maintained his spot atop the depth chart and has continued to thrive in his fourth season, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and recording 26 receptions through Carolina's first nine contests. Brooks could be available this Sunday against the Giants, and while the Panthers are still high on the rookie's long-term outlook, Hubbard's extension likely ensures that the fourth-year back will have a prominent role for the foreseeable future.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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Jonathon Brooks (knee) is expected to make his NFL debut in Week 10 against the Giants in Germany, but I still expect Hubbard to get the majority of touches. And this could be his last chance to be the starter for the Panthers and a potential starter for Fantasy managers. Hubbard has at least 17 total touches in seven games in a row, and he scored at least 15.3 PPR points in five of those outings, including Week 9 against New Orleans, with 15 carries for 72 yards, two touchdowns, and two catches for no yards on three targets. Brooks will likely get a handful of touches against the Giants, but Hubbard should still dominate the workload. And the Giants have allowed a running back to score at least 13.1 PPR points in six games in a row.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: Two touchdowns in narrow win
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Hubbard rushed 15 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns and brought in two of three targets for no gain in the Panthers' 23-22 win over the Saints on Sunday.
Hubbard saw his second straight 15-carry tally and recorded his first multi-touchdown effort of the season via one- and 16-yard runs in the second half. The second score provided the game-tying points and saw Hubbard break multiple tackles on the way to the end zone, underscoring what he's brought to the table amid the Panthers' struggles. Hubbard is expected to face a challenge to his workload from Jonathon Brooks (knee) when the latter potentially makes a Week 10 debut, but Hubbard should remain atop Carolina's ground attack against the Giants in Germany.
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Panthers' Chuba Hubbard: RBs to Start
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We'll see if Jonathon Brooks (knee) will make his NFL debut in Week 8 against the Saints, but even if he's active, I would still use Hubbard as a No. 2 running back in all leagues. The matchup is too good to ignore since the Saints are No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Five running backs have scored at least 16.8 PPR points against New Orleans in the past four games, with seven total touchdowns over that span, and this could be Hubbard's last chance at a quality performance if Brooks is able to play soon.