The Panthers’ choice to replace Rico Dowdle with only AJ Dillon suggests confidence in Jonathon Brooks’ ability to contribute behind starter Chuba Hubbard in 2026.
While Brooks will compete with Trevor Etienne for snaps, his outlook is clouded by a difficult recovery from two ACL tears. Because of these recurring injuries, fantasy football managers are maintaining a skeptical approach toward his value this season. Now is the time to acquire Brooks in dynasty leagues before the athletic workhorse back secures a key role in the offense.
A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers...
Fourth-round rookie running back Trevor Etienne officially ...
The Carolina Panthers have selected Georgia running back ...
The Carolina Panthers extended Chuba Hubbard in November, added 1,000-yard rusher Rico Dowdle in free agency, await a rehab stint for last year’s second-round pick, Jonathon Brooks, and still have Raheem Blackshear. That did not stop them from taking advantage of a deep running back class when they selected Trevor Etienne (Florida, Georgia) in the fourth round, No. 144 overall.
Etienne joins his brother, Travis (RB – JAX), in the NFL, though the younger sibling has a tougher road to NFL and fantasy relevance. He lacks some of the speed and power that Travis demonstrated when he took over the starting gig in Jacksonville. More telling is that Trevor is a less-efficient version of his older brother; that’s saying a lot as Travis is far from among the most efficient in the league.
Most concerning is Etienne’s path to playing time. Dowdle is on a one-year contract, but when he becomes a free agent, Brooks should have turned the corner from his ACL rehab. Hubbard is entrenched as the starter after an impressive 2024, leaving Etienne staring at third on the depth chart for the foreseeable future, barring an amazing camp.
Etienne wrapped his three-year career with 2,081 yards on the ground while catching 62 passes. He tacked on a booking for Driving Under the Influence and three other charges in 2024, leading some to question his character.
Author: Sam Schneider (@BuyAndSellYou)
Etienne looked solid in the on-field drills in Indianapolis. The 20-year-old ran a 4.42 40-yard dash and posted excellent times in the 10 and 20-yard splits. Etienne hopes to have flashed enough juice to offset concerns regarding his size and lack of power and stay relevant in an extremely deep running back class.
After rushing for a combined 1472 yards and 14 touchdowns in his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Florida Gators, Etienne transferred to Georgia and played the 2024 season with the Bulldogs. Despite averaging 5 yards a carry, he was out-rushed by freshman Nate Frazier 133 to 122 on the season and dealt with a rib injury that may have hindered him down the stretch.
Many thought, myself included, that Etienne would have benefited from another year in college after not improving upon his first two statistical seasons and fumbling in his final game, the playoff loss to Notre Dame. He has taken a back seat in terms of hype to a litany of other names who will most likely garner higher draft capital. Etienne’s best chance to flash early in the NFL will be if a team with a light running back room drafts him in a complimentary role. He did flash as a receiver at times with the Gators and could potentially carve out a role as a third down back.
–Blake Stachel (IG: bllakkay)
