While a name like Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is bound to create numerous creative and hilarious fantasy team names, I can’t say his fantasy football outlook in 2024 resembles anything positive.
With a new incoming rookie drafted as the top running back off the board, the writing is on the wall for a player who belongs in the “Running Back Handcuff” Hall of Fame if one were to ever be created.
Still, I’ll discuss Hubbard’s fantasy outlook and whether he’s a good pick in your drafts this season.
Chuba Hubbard’s Fantasy Outlook for the 2024 NFL Season
If you picked Hubbard as a target for the ZeroRB fantasy football strategy in 2023, you were rewarded with a painful RB27 performance. Despite that final ranking, he was RB36 regarding average points per outing.
In 2023, Hubbard garnered 238 carries for 902 yards and five scores. That’s 3.8 yards per carry. He also added 39 receptions for 233 yards.
To be fair, this was a surprise overperformance regarding total statistical output, as the Panthers decided to sign fellow running back Miles Sanders to a four-year, $25.4 million contract in the offseason before 2023. He had just 432 yards on 129 carries and one touchdown.
Now, with a new front office and coaching staff, the new regime quite obviously saw that as a massive mistake and drafted Jonathon Brooks as the first running back off the board in the second round of the NFL Draft.
According to TruMedia, Hubbard averaged four yards per carry on first downs and two yards per tote on third down.
The Panthers’ offense was inept, but Hubbard was incredibly inefficient. In 2022, he averaged 4.9 yards per carry on 95 tries, but as a rookie, he averaged 3.6 yards per carry on 172 tries.
Hubbard is likely best suited as a complementary piece rather than being “the guy,” but with Brooks in town, he should take over as the go-to running back. You won’t need to wait until the Panthers’ Week 11 bye week to see this changing of the guard occur.
Is Chuba Hubbard a Good Fantasy Pick?
With Brooks starting the season on the PUP, Hubbard is worthy of a flier to start the season as he’s going as the RB44, but his fantasy relevance could be short-lived.
A new staff doesn’t take a running back around the top 50 in the NFL Draft as the first one from the position off the board to sit behind someone like Hubbard or Sanders. It simply won’t happen.
We could see Hubbard get the majority of the work at the start because of Brooks’ injury he suffered in November 2023, but again, it will be short-lived, and I’d highly recommend drafting well enough not to have to start Hubbard early in the season.
Around RB44, you’ll find players with more upside, like Tyrone Tracy Jr., Jaleel McLaughlin, and even J.K. Dobbins.
This is a pass here.