The Carolina Panthers are staring down a Week 1 opener with their running back situation feeling anything but settled. Coach Dave Canales might expect veteran Chuba Hubbard to be ready for Week 1, according to the Associated Press, but let’s be real, the details paint a much murkier picture. Hubbard is pegged as the starter, with Jonathon Brooks backing him up, but that plan is already getting a massive asterisk. Hubbard’s been nursing a strained hamstring picked up in training camp, meaning he hasn’t seen a single snap in preseason action. Not one.
The “Ready for Week 1” Catch-22
So, Hubbard’s “ready,” but the Panthers are playing it super cautious. Canales himself admitted Hubbard isn’t even focusing on cutting right now, which is kinda key for a running back, isn’t it? Because of that, and the missed preseason time, we’re looking at a running back by committee approach to kick off the year for these guys, per The Athletic. This isn’t just about this season’s hamstring. Hubbard was limited by a calf injury in 2025, costing him starts and seeing his production drop off significantly. After starting the first six games and averaging a solid 13.2 attempts and 47 yards per contest, his last nine appearances saw those numbers plummet to 6.1 rushes and 25.4 yards. That’s a major slide. Sure, Rico Dowdle, who stepped in for him last year, is gone to the Steelers, opening the door again, but is Hubbard truly ready to walk through it without skipping a beat?
Brooks’ Rocky Road and the Committee Conundrum
Then there’s Jonathon Brooks, the second option. A 2024 second-round pick, Brooks’ rookie season was basically a blink and you missed it affair, playing just three games before a second torn ACL sidelined him for the rest of that year and all of 2025. Yeah, a *second* torn ACL. The guy’s only 21 and he’s been through that much? He’s finally healthy and sitting at number two on their depth chart, ahead of Trevor Etienne, AJ Dillon, and Anthony Tyrus III. But “healthy” doesn’t mean “game ready” when you’ve got just eight preseason carries under your belt. Eight! Hubbard, a 2021 fourth-round pick, had a monster 2024 season, rushing for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns on 250 attempts in 15 starts. That kind of production is exactly what they’ll be hoping to see, but with the early committee approach and both backs coming off significant injury issues and limited prep, this backfield is a giant question mark entering the season.
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Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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