The Carolina Panthers have officially selected Texas running back Jonathon Brooks with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Longhorn tailback will join a Panthers offense that badly needs depth after a miserable 2023 campaign.
Brooks spent the first two years of his collegiate career sitting behind Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson, finally earning the opportunity to shoulder the load in 2023. He proved to be extremely effective, rushing for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 11 games to earn Second Team All-Big 12 honors. Unfortunately, he’d suffer a season-ending ACL tear in November and ended up missing UT’s run to the College Football Playoff.
He indicated at the NFL Scouting Combine in March that he had started running again and should be ready by training camp later this summer.
Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks fantasy football outlook
Brooks joins first-round wide receiver Xavier Legette as new skill position weapons that will be joining Carolina in 2024. The Panthers’ brass are trying to stock up on skill position weapons for second-year quarterback Bryce Young after a very poor season last year.
Jonathan Brooks’ supporting cast
The rookie will walk into a running back room already occupied by both Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders, so we could get a committee in Carolina this season. Hubbard is coming off a career season with 902 rushing yards and is entering the final year of his contract this year. Meanwhile, Sanders experienced a significant dropoff in his first season in Carolina, posting just 432 rushing yards and a touchdown through 16 games.
Where should Jonathan Brooks rank among RBs in fantasy football?
Even if he’s projected to be healthy by training camp, I wouldn’t put to much fantasy stock into Brooks at the start of the regular season. Again, he’ll be walking into a committee situation and could take him weeks to garner the necessary touches to be a fantasy commodity. If you’re in a redraft league and have the patience, I’d try to pick him up in the later rounds and stash him away.