Hubbard sits atop the Panthers’ depth chart at the club’s RB1 heading into the 2026-27 season, but the veteran is expected to miss some time. HC Dan Canales told the media Thursday that Hubbard is week-to-week with a hamstring injury. However, the back is expected to be ready for Week 1 vs. the Bears.
Hamstring injuries are always tricky. While the Panthers expect Hubbard to be ready for the season opener, that is by no means guaranteed.
In addition to the injury concerns, Hubbard wasn’t overly effective last season, so targeting one of the other backs in this backfield has a ton of merit for fantasy drafts. Hubbard averaged just 3.8 YPC and he found the end zone just four times in 15 games.
Behind Hubbard on the depth chart are Jonathon Brooks and Trevor Etienne, and between these two, Brooks is the clear better choice. Brooks hasn’t played in nearly two years after he tore his ACL for the second time three weeks into his rookie season in 2024. He only saw nine carries before going down with the injury.
However, Brooks is a former second-round pick out of Texas, that dominated in his final season with the Longhorns, producing 1,425 yards on 6.1 YPC and 11 touchdowns in 11 games. The Panthers have high hopes for Brooks and he will suit up for this Saturday’s preseason matchup vs. the Bills, which is a clear indicator that Brooks is fully healthy again.
As for Etienne, he averaged a strong 4.7 YPC as a rookie last season, but only on a limited sample of 20 carries. Etienne also didn’t come out of college with Brooks’ hype. Etienne was a fourth-round pick out of Georgia who averaged 5.0 YPC and scored 10 touchdowns in his final season with the Bull Dogs.
Etienne is a capable back who could provide some value if Hubbard misses time, but when the veteran is healthy, Etienne likely will see minimal work. Brooks, on the other hand, is the clear No.2 option behind Hubbard. Brooks should see plenty of touches even when Hubbard is active. Brooks has a real chance to overtake Hubbard as Carolina’s lead back this season and is one of the best late round RB targets to pursue in fantasy drafts this summer.
