NFL insider names Panthers star weapon to NFL's All-Underrated team

The Carolina Panthers, at 5-12 and coming off seven straight losing seasons, don't have a ton of players in the national media spotlight. Their roster has been lacking talent for a while, and they haven't had anyone of note who warranted much attention on such a bad team. That has changed, though.

The narrative around the team is changing, and there are some players that have sparked that. One such player is star running back Chuba Hubbard, who often flies totally under the radar when it comes to NFL running backs. That might not happen anymore after Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport named him to the league's All-Underrated Team.

Davenport noted that Hubbard wasn’t even supposed to be a lead back in the NFL. He was drafted as Christian McCaffrey's backup, forced into duty after that trade, and then even fell behind Miles Sanders on the depth chart the next year.

"Pressed into lead duties by a combination on injuries and ineffectiveness in the Carolina backfield two years ago, Hubbard was a rare bright spot in a dismal season for the Panthers—despite playing for a terrible team, Hubbard eclipsed 1,100 total yards and established himself as a bona fide No. 1 back," Davenport said.

The insider praised Hubbard for upping his game much more the following season. His yards per carry jumped a full yard, and Hubbard rushed for 1,195 yards (eighth in the league), scored 11 total touchdowns, and caught 43 passes. That was with missing the final two games of the year.

"Those numbers got Hubbard a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension with $15 million in guarantees—and inclusion on this year’s All-Underrated Team," Davenport said. Hubbard doesn't get a lot of recognition for being one of the best backs in the NFL, but he's slowly getting some credit for the ballplayer he is.