Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks, recovering from back-to-back ACL injuries, has a chance at the starting job in 2026.
When the Panthers traded up in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft for running back Jonathon Brooks out of the University of Texas, they were expecting a steal, despite his recovery from an ACL injury. Brooks sat out until Week 11 of 2024 before seeing the field.
Come Week 14 of 2024, Brooks again tore his ACL in the same knee on a non-contact play. The rookie was forced to miss the remainder of 2024 and the entirety of the 2025 season.
Recently, Panthers head coach Dave Canales commented that “He’s flying around, he’s big, he’s beautiful looking. He one of the more powerful, explosive athletes we have. He’s gonna have an opportunity to compete to start for this team.”
If that doesn’t get fans excited, what will? Carolina can move on from Rico Dowdle’s expiring contract, with Chuba Hubbard and 2025 rookie Trevor Etienne also on the roster. If healthy, Brooks is an immediate RB1 behind this offensive line at full strength. With the recent development of Bryce Young and the young wideouts, this Panthers offense will be flying.
Author: Jesse Baldwin (@J_Baldwin51)
The Carolina Panthers placed running back Jonathon Brooks ...
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) will ...
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) ...
The Carolina Panthers have ruled him out of the 2025 season with this move.
Jonathon Brooks has now been more snakebitten than fellow Longhorn RB Roschon Johnson. After finally getting his opportunity for the Texas Longhorns in the 2023 season, and really running with it… Brooks’ collegiate breakout ended early with an ACL tear, which also caused him to drop out of the first round in a very weak running back draft class. When he was finally activated in 2024 by Carolina, Brooks once again tore his ACL in week 14, just 3 weeks into getting eased back into action.
Carolina has really shored up the RB room in preparation of this move. The team extended Chuba Hubbard last season, signed Rico Dowdle as a high quality complimentary back, and drafted Trevor Etienne in the 4th round of the 2025 draft. While Brooks may have more raw talent and better draft capital than the rest of the RB room, there are a lot of uncertainties in returning to form from back to back ACL tears… to a team that may still be struggling offensively… with a potentially crowded backfield. Brooks’ football future may really begin on another team on a second contract, 2 years from now.
Author: Lukasz Stec (@Lukasz_FF01)
Carolina Panthers 2024 2nd round pick Jonathan Brooks will miss 2025 season after 2nd ACL tear on same knee.
The Panthers invested their 2nd round pick in a running back in the 2024 NFL draft. Jonathon Brooks was coming off of an ACL injury, and there were questions about when the former Texas Longhorn running back would be up to game speed.
Brooks would made his debut in week 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs rushing for 7 yards on 2 carries. He finished the year with 45 total yards on 12 touches after falling down on a non contact play vs the Philadelphia Eagles. Heading into 2026, there will certainly have more questions than answers about his ability, and his availability.
Chuba Hubbard will now own the Panthers backfield both contractually and in terms of workload. His dynasty stock will be steadily rising as he enjoyed a breakout season, rushing for 1195 yards and 10TDs. This news makes Hubbard one of the hotter names in the RB market in dynasty.
Author: Justin Currie (@Chev90)
Bryce Young and Carolina offense improving, devastating setback for rookie RB
The Panthers are on the ascent in recent weeks, as evidenced by some recent tight contests against some of the league’s best teams. Carolina were just one Xavier Legette drop away from being in scoring position in the final minutes of Sunday’s game before losing to the Eagles.
Bryce Young is playing some of his best football, but still not providing at a prolific rate for fantasy. He was the QB20 in fantasy scoring in Week 14 even while compiling 29 yards rushing on seven rush attempts. The only pass catcher to record a difference-making fantasy performance was Adam Thielen, who brought in nine receptions for 102 yards. Xavier Legette drew eight targets, but caught just two for 39 yards. David Moore recorded five targets, but caught just two for 25 yards. Tight end Tommy Tremble caught the lone receiving touchdown, his only reception for two total yards receiving.
Unfortunately, rookie running back Jonathon Brooks is reported to have re-torn his ACL, the injury that landed him on IR for the early part of the season. That means Chuba Hubbard, who has seen bell cow usage with Brooks out, will continue to see difference-making usage down the stretch (Miles Sanders is also on IR with an ankle injury). Hubbard saw 26 carries and five targets in this one, and scored the Panthers other touchdown on the ground. Hubbard is in position to make an impact in the fantasy playoffs.
– Joel Ybarra, @metaffb
Panthers draw Eagles D that is effective against run and pass
A resurgent Carolina Panthers offense led by second-year QB Bryce Young takes on a stingy Eagles defense in Week 14. The Eagles’ defensive unit is top-five in fantasy points allowed to opposing fantasy QBs, RBs and WRs. The Eagles are a less-than-ideal matchup for Young and the Carolina offensive weapons, even despite the fact that Young has come on as of late. The Alabama product threw 46 passes, completing 26 for 298 yards (both season highs) against the Bucs in Week 13, but that was an overtime game against the Bucs, who have a bottom-third D against the pass.
The Eagles have allowed a 300-yard passing game only once this season (Baker Mayfield in Week 4). They have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher on the season and have only allowed two 100-yard receiving games (Jayden Reed and Puka Nacua). The Panthers weapons are not exactly elite and Young has only one 300-yard passing game in his young career (last season).
Expectations should be tempered, but with six teams on bye in Week 14 and the fantasy playoffs looming, fantasy gamers may be in a position to start some Panthers. David Moore and Xavier Legette led the team in routes and targets over the last two weeks (post-bye), but Adam Thielen is the receptions (12) and yards (156) leader over that span. The 34-year-old vet is the most startable pass catcher and could see volume if the Panthers are playing from behind. That is likely since the Eagles are favored by nearly two touchdowns. Legette and Moore will have opportunities, but only hit their upside when scoring a touchdown.
Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is now sharing the backfield with rookie Jonathon Brooks. Brooks had half as many (six) carries as Hubbard (12) in Week 13, but three targets to Hubbard’s zero, although Hubbard ran 29 routes to Brooks’ seven. Fantasy gamers will want to look elsewhere for RB production if possible.
– Joel Ybarra, @metaffb
Panthers face Chiefs, Jonathon Brooks makes NFL debut
The Carolina Panthers are coming off their Week 11 Bye to face the Chiefs. Kansas City just fell to the Bills, marking the defending champs’ first loss of the season. The Panthers downed the Giants in their last game (Week 10), but the Panthers are scoring just 16.7 points per game on the season – the 4th lowest in the NFL. The Chiefs defense has allowed just 19.4 PPG to opposing offenses, eighth-fewest in the league, and the fifth-fewest yards (297.5).
Bryce Young, who is getting his fourth straight start, threw for 224 yards and two TDs versus a tough Broncos D in Week 8, but threw for 171 yards and 126 yards, respectively, in his last two starts – one pass TD in each. It’s a low-volume pass attack with Young at the helm. No Panthers pass catcher has earned more than eight targets in any of Young’s starts. Jalen Coker drew eight against the Giants, but caught only three. Coker is tied with Xavier Legette for the team lead in targets over the last three with 17.
We could see an uptick in the Carolina passing volume against a middle of the road Kansas City pass defense, as the Chiefs’ run defense is a top-five unit. Adam Thielen is back in the mix this week, which could water down the pass volume, but Thielen will likely ramp up to game action slowly after missing the team’s last seven games. The bottom line is without a touchdown, none of the Panthers’ WRs or TEs is worth much more than a Bye week spot start. Legette is the most likely to get in the end zone, having caught four TDs on 45 targets and 69.8-percent (No. 72) Route Participation.
Miles Sanders is out with a lower leg injury and Jonathon Brooks is slated to make his NFL debut this week. That said, Brooks will merely spell Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard has been getting bell cow work this season – No. 9 with 151.6 Weighted Opportunities. Temper expectations against a stingy Chiefs run D, however, that has not allowed a single running back to gain more 69 total yards in a game this season.
– Joel Ybarra, @metaffb
