Jonathan Brooks is a trending name in fantasy football draft season.
There’s at least a case to be made that he’s not the Carolina Panthers RB to be drafting, though. Chuba Hubbard is still around, and some still believe in what he can do.
That’s the big takeaway on Wednesday from ESPN’s bold predictions article put together by their insider, Dan Graziano. He’s high on Hubbard for the season ahead.
Graziano isn’t a fantasy writer. He’s a reporter, so he’s basing his thoughts on information he’s hearing from those within the game.
If Graziano believes something is going to happen, there’s at least a decent chance he might be right, because he’s not basing predictions on random thoughts but instead inside insight.
Chuba Hubbard Bold Prediction
This is what Graziano wrote to start his prediction off:
“Don’t be surprised if… running back Chuba Hubbard leads the team in rushing yards.”
Then, Graziano goes right into the idea of this impacting fantasy plans.
“I know, it’s not what fantasy managers who have been excited to draft Jonathon Brooks want to hear,” Graziano writes. “But the Panthers like Hubbard a lot — as a runner, as a locker room leader, as many things. They’re excited about Brooks, but his health history means they will be extremely careful with him. He offers a lot of potential and explosiveness, but only if they can keep him on the field.”
Graziano believes that Brooks will have a lot of competition in the backfield from Hubbard.
“That’s why, to my understanding, the plan is for Hubbard and Brooks to split carries this season,” Graziano writes. “If Hubbard stays healthy, he’s the one in whom they’ve built up more trust, so I’d expect him to be the one the Panthers lean on to try to grind out games when they have the lead. The split should be pretty close, but it would not be a surprise at all to get to the end of the season and see that Hubbard got the majority of the work.”
Hubbard has been reliable for a few years now in Carolina, and he might’ve fallen a bit under the radar after Rico Dowdle’s big season last year.
Dowdle is gone, and Hubbard remains. He could still make his mark.
Jonathan Brooks Vs. Chuba Hubbard Fantasy ADP
FantasyPros ADP (average draft position) data reveals how these two backs compare on draft boards.
You aren’t going to have to reach very high to get either running back, which is the good news.
Interestingly, the data actually shows Hubbard going off the board on average three spots higher at the RB position than Brooks. FantasyPros says Hubbard averages being the 36th running back off the board, while Brooks is at No. 39.
They also have a “Real Time” metric, though, and in that, Brooks is going off the board lately at No. 30 among RBs, compared to No. 33 for Hubbard.
They both could have decent seasons, but whichever side of the platoon ends up being more efficient could be a winner for fantasy players.
Jonathan Brooks Over Chuba Hubbard Is Fantasy Football Mistake for Panthers, Says ESPN