The Carolina Panthers hope they are a much better team in 2025 than they were last year. One would assume that to do so, they would heavily rely on the few bright spots they had. However, according to the team’s offensive coordinator, Brad Idzik, said one of the most productive players they had on offense last year won’t be as used in Bryce Young‘s offense.
When talking about running back Chubba Hubbard, who was an absolute workhorse last season, Idzik said the team doesn’t want to “run Chuba Hubbard dry.” Despite giving Hubbard a four-year extension last season, the Panthers will minimize his role a bit to keep him fresh.
To do so, they brought Rico Dowdle and drafted Trevor Etienne in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. We could see Hubbard being the primary running option on the team, but share some of his snaps, at least early on in the season.
Is Hubbard the best of the bunch?
The Panthers have brought many people to compete with Chubba Hubbard in the backfield. Yet, he always delivers. First it was Jonathon Brooks, whose injury history has seen him fall off the ranks. He will miss the whole 2025 season. Now, there are two new faces. Dowdle is fresh off a 1,000-yard season with the Cowboys but Carolina only gave him a one year deal worth $3 million. As for Etienne, he is a fourth round pick who’s listed third on the RB depth chart.
Chuba Hubbard #30 of the Carolina Panthers
Chubba Hubbard played 15 games last season and racked up 1195 yards and a staggering 10 touchdowns. Another thing worth noting with Hubbard was the fact that his volume never decreased despite the Panthers being a team that was trailing most of the time. He was the one constant threat on an offense who was still trying to decide between Andy Dalton and Bryce Young.
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Hubbard will still be productive
Even if his snaps decrease a bit, Hubbard is Carolina’s best back. Hubbard averaged 4.8 yards per rushing attempt. That is better than Dowdle’s, for example. As for Etienne, he was a good running back in college, but nothing stellar.
Hubbard will likely get 70% of the snaps and especially near the end zone. For Fantasy or betting purposes, his stock shouldn’t drop that much. He will be very productive and is a reliable player who doesn’t miss much time.
