The Carolina Panthers finished 8-9 last year and won the NFC South despite a losing record. They took a huge step forward in their second season under head coach Dave Canales and will look to get back to the playoffs for a second straight season in 2026. They’ll open their season at home against the Bears in Week 1, but they may not be at 100% healthy in the backfield due to Jonathan Brooks dealing with “general soreness.” If Brooks is at less than 100%, will that give his teammate Chuba Hubbard a big Week 1 boost? Let’s take a look at the latest info from the Panthers and see what to expect this week.
The Panthers’ offense last year made both Hubbard and Rico Dowdle useful for fantasy throughout the season, so solving who will get the work in Week 1 could be important to getting your best team on the field.
Jonathan Brooks injury update
Brooks was able to participate in Monday’s practice for the Panthers, but he was working off to the side with the training staff. He doesn’t have a specific injury, but he has been dealing with the dreaded “general soreness,” according to the team’s injury report.
Coach Dave Canales said he remains day-to-day at this point:
Even if Brooks is able to get on the field and turn in full practices later this week, the team will likely limit his workload in Week 1. Brooks looked outstanding during the team’s offseason workouts and looked like he could eventually surpass Hubbard as the team’s preferred option in the backfield. With Hubbard battling a hamstring injury early in camp, Brooks was even going ahead of him in many drafts early this year.
However, now that Brooks is dealing with these new concerns, Hubbard looks much more likely to step up and carry the workload early in the season. The team will be cautious with Brooks, who entered the league while still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered during his final season in college at Texas. In just his third career game, Brooks tore the same ACL and missed the entire 2025 season. His career totals of 22 rushing yards on nine carries through his first two seasons don’t show his upside, but they are a reflection of how little he has been able to be on the field.
The good news for Brooks and his fantasy managers is that this doesn’t appear to be a serious injury that will require multiple weeks on the sideline. He could be ready for full practices and play this week, but there’s a good chance he’ll be eased in slowly now that Hubbard is healthy. He’ll be a high-risk flex play for Week 1 if he’s available.
Chuba Hubbard’s upside
If Brooks is not available, Hubbard could dominate all the work out of the backfield, which would set him up to potentially start the season with a bang. He started last year strong with touchdowns in each of the first two weeks and finished with 511 rushing yards and 223 receiving yards on his way to four total touchdowns in 15 games.
Hubbard missed a few games in the middle of the season, when Rico Dowdle stepped up and produced and shared work more evenly after his return. He still seemed the slightly preferred option, and he’s likely to get most of the work early in the season, especially with Brooks’ injury issues.
The Bears were a just-below-average matchup for RBs last season, and Hubbard had 97 rushing yards with a touchdown against them when he faced them in 2024. He does have the potential to have a big game at home in Week 1 if the Panthers play from ahead or set him up for multiple rushing scores. However, the Bears are three-point favorites, so it doesn’t look like the game script will lead to the Panthers playing from ahead and leaning heavily on the run game.
The Bottom Line
If Brooks is out, Hubbard would be a solid RB2 and a great flex play with upside in Week 1. He wouldn’t quite be a top-10 option since he is just getting back from his own injuries and isn’t in an outstanding matchup. He would be a strong starter in most standard-sized leagues, though.
If Brooks is available but likely to be limited, Hubbard would still be my preferred starter, although it would drop him out of RB2 territory and make him more of a flex play.
Long-term, Brooks is still an intriguing option that has a higher ceiling in terms of the entire season. However, until he carves out a more established role, he’s best left on your bench to start the season in most formats.
