Chuba

Hubbard

Carolina is in need of some backfield reinforcements after losing Jonathon Brooks to a core injury that will leave him sidelined for at least six weeks. AJ Dillon is set to fill in for Brooks while Chub Hubbard presumably continues as the team’s lead back. Ekeler, 31, who hasn’t played since injuring his Achilles last September, could be an emergency running back if Hubbard or Dillon go down with injuries in the coming weeks. First he’ll need to make the squad.

Hubbard operated as the Panthers’ unquestioned RB1, out-carrying Jonathon Brooks 12-5. He got on the board early with a touchdown catch near the goal line. It was his second touchdown grab of the year and his third time finding the end zone in total. Brooks also left the game early with a groin injury and his status for Week 3 is up in the air. Hubbard was already going to project for RB2 numbers with Brooks in the middle. He will push to the middle of the RB2 pack if Brooks is out versus the Browns.

Hubbard was the clearcut lead back for the run-heavy Carolina offense. Jonathon Brooks saw five touches on the day, and ran six pass routes for 29 routes for Hubbard, who was the Panthers’ primary red zone back throughout the game. For now Hubbard’s role in the run-first Panthers offense seems secure while the team eases Brooks into action. That could change at some point this season. Hubbard will be a locked-in RB2 option next week against a middling Falcons defense.

In his first regular season action, Brooks played well behind lead back Chuba Hubbard, who finished the day with ten carries and three receptions. The highlight of Brooks’ day came on a sideline throw from Bryce Young that went for 48 yards. Brooks, coming off multiple major knee injuries, showed impressive burst and speed on the catch and run. That Hubbard was the team’s primary option inside the ten yard line is bad news for Brooks’ touchdown upside in the Carolina offense. For now he profiles as a bench stash in case Hubbard misses time this season.

We’ll have a better sense of Brooks’ Week 1 availability in a few hours when the Panthers release their final injury report for the week, but the third-year back logged limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday and is trending in the right direction for Sunday’s game against the Bears. If he’s active, Brooks is expected to split touches with Chuba Hubbard, which could put a hard cap on both players’ upside in the season-opener.

Now we know what Brooks has been dealing with for the past week or so. Beginning the week with a limited session is a good sign regarding his Week 1 availability, but obviously we hope to see him practice fully as soon as possible, given his extensive injury history. He could end up rotating in behind RB Chuba Hubbard if active.

Brooks has now worked to the side in two straight practices and Panthers coaches are being cagy about his ailment. It’s not a great develop less than two weeks ahead of Carolina’s season opener. Chub Hubbard, meanwhile, is back at practice after being sidelined with a hamstring injury for a couple weeks. Brooks’ practice status will be very much worth monitoring in the coming days. He appears to be nothing more than a touchdown-dependent flex for right now.

The team’s plan, per Graziano, is for Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks to split carries this season. That comes as little surprise. “If Hubbard stays healthy, he’s the one in whom they’ve built up more trust, so I’d expect him to be the one the Panthers lean on to try to grind out games when they have the lead,” Graziano said. “The split should be pretty close, but it would not be a surprise at all to get to the end of the season and see that Hubbard got the majority of the work.” Brooks on Tuesday practiced to the side while Hubbard (hamstring) practiced in full. It’s a concerning situation for those who have gone in on Brooks as Carolina’s lead back.

We’re not sure what Brooks is dealing with but his practice status will be something to monitor in the coming days. Chuba Hubbard, meanwhile, is practicing in full after missing weeks with a hamstring issue. Brooks headed into 2026 with a chance to be the Panthers’ lead back after fighting back through a series of catastrophic injuries. Carolina’s backfield could prove frustrating for fantasy purposes this season.

Hubbard is still working his way back from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him since mid-August, but if the 27-year-old back is good to go, he is expected to see work alongside Jonathon Brooks, who seems to finally be healthy after an injury-plagued start to his first three years in the league. An RBBC situation would be a pain for fantasy managers to navigate during the early part of the season, but if it comes down to it, hopefully we will get an early sense of how Canales plans to deploy both backs so we can better understand their viability for fantasy purposes.