The Carolina Panthers are monitoring their backfield situation as they prepare for this weekend’s action. Chuba Hubbard is still dealing with the calf issue that he sustained at practice last week. For fantasy football managers counting on the Panthers’ RB1, what is his current status heading into Week 5?
Chuba Hubbard Injury Update
The calf problem that affected Hubbard initially developed during Carolina’s Thursday practice session last week while preparing for their clash with New England. The issue was notable enough to restrict his Friday practice involvement, resulting in a questionable status on the team’s final injury report.
Head coach Dave Canales characterized the calf concern as “some soreness” despite the limitations, maintaining optimism about Hubbard’s game availability. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport indicated that Hubbard “should be good to go” for the Patriots matchup.
Hubbard did suit up for Week 4, carrying his normal workload without visible restrictions. He ran the ball 10 times for 49 yards while securing all three of his receiving targets for 20 yards during Carolina’s 42-13 defeat to New England.
No signs emerged that Hubbard worsened the calf problem during the game or left Sunday’s contest in worse condition. He moved with his typical mobility throughout the game and kept his regular snap percentage despite the blowout loss.
However, more concerning news emerged this week when Hubbard was held out of Wednesday’s practice session. Head coach Dave Canales provided a less optimistic update after practice, stating “The calf needs more treatment. The calf needs more time.”
Canales revealed that Hubbard’s condition didn’t improve following last week’s game. “He was still able to play and play to a high level, ran the ball hard all the way through it. Coming out of it, we didn’t think he was in a better spot coming out of the game than he was the week before.”
The situation became more troubling when Hubbard missed Thursday’s practice as well, marking two consecutive days of non-participation. This represents a concerning development compared to his limited participation pattern from the previous week.
Carolina is now taking a day-to-day approach with their starting running back. The team’s decision to elevate DeeJay Dallas from the practice squad to the active roster suggests they are preparing for the possibility of being without Hubbard.
Fantasy managers should be genuinely concerned about Hubbard’s availability for Week 5. Missing consecutive practices while dealing with what appears to be a worsening calf injury puts his Sunday status in serious doubt.
Hubbard Fantasy Outlook
We all seem to agree that Chuba Hubbard is an above-average talent, and there is no debating his role as the bellcow in Carolina, but if he’s not finding the end zone, he’s in trouble.
In Weeks 1-2, he scored and was a top-10 producer at the position. In Weeks 3-4, he didn’t and wasn’t a top-25 running back in PPR formats.
All running backs at some level need touchdowns to sustain value, so I’m not turned off by that idea, but given the ineptitude of the Panthers, it’s a problem.
Splash plays have also been hard to come by for Hubbard in 2022: 10.4% of his carries gained 10+ yards last season, 3.8% this season. There simply isn’t much room to operate in this Bryce Young system, but he’s been able to salvage some value with 3+ targets in all four weeks.
There is no real blueprint for Hubbard to post a top-5 week, but in this matchup where the game script should stay reasonably neutral, I suspect we see him flirt with RB1 status for the week, and that makes him a viable play in every form of fantasy.
— PFSN Fantasy Analyst Kyle Soppe