Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard is Being Overlooked in Fantasy Football

Hubbard had a down year in 2025, projected to be the No. 1 running back in Carolina, then got hurt; Rico Dowdle took over, and set the NFL on fire with two games in a row of over 200 scrimmage yards and over 30 fantasy points. Then, Hubbard only had one game the rest of the season with over 10 fantasy points. 

With the numbers dipping that low and the health being a slight question mark, Hubbard being overlooked is completely fair. It's not wrong to overlook a running back who had 500 rushing yards last year. While it isn't absurd that Hubbard's being overlooked, it's something that can be exploited.

Chuba Hubbard is landing really, really low on Fantasy Football big boards, even behind backs who are projected to be the RB2 of their teams. If Hubbard can stay healthy, get his volume of carries back up, and be a reliable pass catcher, then he can easily exceed big board expectations like these.

Why Chuba Hubbard Should Improve in 2026

Rico Dowdle departed Carolina. He’s off to Pittsburgh after signing a multi-year deal with the Steelers, which now opens the door for Hubbard to get back to 2024 form. In 2024, Hubbard was a top 15 running back in fantasy football, averaging around 16 fantasy points per game, which is perfect RB2 numbers depending on the makeup of someone’s team. 

Chuba Hubbard posted 1195 rushing yards, and 10 touchdowns in 2024 when he was the true bellcow of the run game, and even the offense. The Panthers have added new receiver talent since then to boost the pass game, but have also added more offensive line help, particularly at left tackle, with Rasheed Walker and Monroe Freeling.

The rest of the running back room is interesting. Jonathan Brooks is thought of as explosive with the ball but hasn't been healthy enough to prove it at the NFL level, and then there's AJ Dillon, who's brand new to the system and, if anything, will work his way into consistent carries in a new system. So there's not too much concern about who's the alpha in that room, clearly being Chuba Hubbard.

Chubba Hubbard's Fantasy Draft Range

Anywhere from the fourth to the sixth round feels right for Hubbard; if anything, he could fall even lower than the fourth on average, potentially being a consensus fifth or sixth-rounder. There isn't any argument to be made for reaching on him over elite backs, but Hubbard is a sleeper name to look out for later in drafts that could pay off well.