One of the few reasons to get excited about the 2024 Panthers occurred all the way back in April when the team selected Jonathon Brooks with the 46th overall pick in the NFL Draft. The former Texas star slipped to the second round not due to his immense talent, but an ACL tear suffered in November of 2023.
When healthy, Brooks had a real case as the best running back in America. With the Longhorns, he averaged 103.5 rushing yards in 11 games as a sophomore. If not for his injury, we could have been talking about him in a similar fashion as ‘can’t miss’ prospects like Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson ($7,100).
Brooks is eligible to leave the PUP (physically unable to perform) list and rejoin Carolina’s roster in Week 5. That doesn’t mean you should expect to see him back in pads that early. At 1-3, the rebuilding Panthers have little reason to rush the rookie into action.
Even if Brooks does return early, it’s not clear what his role will be. Current starting running back Chuba Hubbard ($6,100) has been on fire lately, rushing for 218 yards over the past two weeks. A coaching staff that was willing to bench Bryce Young ($4,900) for veteran Andy Dalton ($5,400) is not afraid to prioritize winning after a disastrous two-win 2023 campaign.
Still, a more functional Carolina scoring attack is a good thing for all skill-position players. The anemic offense under Young has been replaced with a more competent brand of football under Dalton. Might there be room for both Hubbard and Brooks to thrive? It seems unlikely. While the new and improved Panthers can give more than a few teams a scare, it’s still difficult to imagine they’d be favored in any of their remaining games. With a split backfield and a negative game script, good luck getting flex-level production from either RB.
There’s always a scenario where head coach Dave Canales opts to ride with Brooks to end the year since Hubbard is an upcoming free agent. That does’t account for the downside of Young starting again to end the season. Considering Carolina invested a no. 1 overall pick in the quarterback, they’ll probably want to see him throw one last time in spite of how awful he’s looked over two seasons.
I’m not saying drop Brooks if you have him. In fact, acquire him in all fantasy leagues if you can. Just make sure to manage your expectations. There’s potential for a second-half league winner here…but it’s just as likely that he’s a supporting running back on a mediocre team.
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