Chuba Hubbard broke out in 2024 with 250 attempts for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns, ultimately seizing the job and earning himself a 3 year contract. Of course, fantasy gamers will remember a disappointing 2025 campaign hampered by a calf strain that saw Chuba ultimately lose his job to Rico Dowdle down the stretch. Now healthy, with Dowdle in Pittsburgh it appears as though the coaching staff is once again ready to give Hubbard the majority of the carries.

The larger story is Jonathon Brooks failing to separate himself in the Panthers’ backfield competition this summer. Fantasy managers banking on the younger, higher-draft-capital back to immediately seize control of the backfield may find themselves disappointed out of the gate. Backfield ambiguity has aligned Hubbard (RB36) and Brooks’ (RB31) redraft valuations for seasonal fantasy football leagues, but the real divergence lies in dynasty formats, where PlayerProfiler favors the younger Brooks’ unrealized upside over the veteran Hubbard by a 2X Lifetime Value Rating.