Chuba Hubbard's 2024 breakout wasn't a fluke. It wasn't merely the product of another player's injury or a short-term opportunity. Hubbard earned his role as the top running back on the Carolina Panthers' depth chart and held it with authority.

His ascent from an under-the-radar contributor to a reliable starter was marked by consistency, vision, and improved decision-making. This article explores how Hubbard rose through the ranks and what his emergence means for fantasy football managers heading into the 2025 season.

Hubbard's First Three Years

The Carolina Panthers drafted Hubbard in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. At that time, the Panthers were running the Christian McCaffrey Show, so a fourth-round pick was fine for depth. McCaffrey was sidelined twice that season: first to a hamstring injury, and then to an ankle sprain. In his rookie year, Hubbard capitalized on that opportunity by producing 612 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, and averaging 3.6 yards per carry. 

Heading into 2022, Hubbard was again behind McCaffrey on the depth chart and also behind D'Onta Foreman, who was brought in that year. On October 20, 2022, McCaffrey was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, but it was Foreman who reaped the benefit in the running back room. Providing depth behind Foreman, Hubbard had 466 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns while boosting his yards per carry to 4.9. 

Starting the 2023 season, Hubbard was again relegated to backup status on the depth chart due to Miles Sanders being brought in. But he didn't stay there. Hubbard surpassed Sanders, producing 902 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, and 3.8 yards per carry on the year. 

2024 Season: The Turning Point

Despite passing Sanders on the depth chart in 2023, the Panthers still weren't fully sold on Hubbard as their lead back. In the 2024 NFL Draft, they selected Jonathon Brooks in the second round with the 46th overall pick, a clear signal they viewed Brooks as the future. After a delayed start due to recovery from a college ACL tear, Brooks suffered a heartbreaking re-tear in December, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Hubbard made the most of his opportunity in 2024, rushing for over 1,195 yards, scoring 10 touchdowns, and averaging 4.8 yards per carry. His fantasy performance exceeded expectations as he finished as the RB15 in point-per-reception (PPR) formats, averaging 16.4 fantasy points per game and delivering eight top-11 weekly finishes. A key performance occurred in Week 10 with the Panthers' overtime victory against the New York Giants in Germany. Hubbard totaled 24.9 PPR points, rushing for 153 yards and a touchdown while adding four receptions for 16 yards. His rushing dominance locked in his status as a dependable fantasy starter and a difference-maker down the stretch. 

Let's Talk Fourth-Round Running Backs

Hubbard's breakout 2024 season defied expectations typically placed on fourth-round running backs. Since 2019, several backs have been selected in the fourth round, but very few have gone on to carry a backfield. Notable exceptions from this list include Tony Pollard, Rhamondre Stevenson, and the 2024-drafted Bucky Irving. Outside of these names, most fourth-rounders have served as depth or rotational pieces. How the 2025 class will fare in this discussion remains to be seen. Still, Hubbard's emergence is a reminder that a gold mine can be found on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. 

Interestingly, Chuba Hubbard and Bucky Irving offer a compelling side-by-side case study of fourth-round success stories. Both backs were Day 3 picks, and both finished the 2024 fantasy season inside the top 15 in PPR formats. Despite differing styles and usage, both proved to be incredibly valuable fantasy assets, and each stands as proof that draft capital isn't always predictive of success. 

Though Irving edges Hubbard in rushing efficiency (5.4 YPC to 4.8), Hubbard delivered more rushing yards and touchdowns, despite playing two fewer games. Hubbard also excelled in red zone opportunities with 55, surpassing Irving's 51. When it came to overall involvement, Hubbard logged 712 snaps compared to Irving's 549, and both backs had similar team target numbers, with Hubbard receiving 54 targets to Irving's 52.

This isn't an evaluation of Irving, but his presence highlights the power of perception. Irving is widely viewed as elite, as reflected in his current redraft Sleeper ADP of 23.0 (RB6), while Hubbard trails behind at 50.0 (RB17). Why does skepticism still surround Hubbard? Didn't his 2024 performance earn him a seat at the table among top-tier backs?

But that's the thing about underdogs — they're often misvalued. And that's where savvy drafters strike gold, landing a steal others miss.

Eyes Set on the 2025 Season

As the 2025 season approaches, Chuba Hubbard isn't just the top name on the Panthers' depth chart — he's the driving force of their offense. After a breakout 2024 campaign in which he totaled 245.6 PPR fantasy points, Hubbard has firmly established himself not only as the starter but as a foundational piece in Carolina's rebuild.

The Panthers have added depth behind Hubbard. They signed Rico Dowdle in free agency after a strong season in Dallas and spent a fourth-round pick on rookie Trevor Etienne—ironically, the same round in which Hubbard was drafted in 2021.

As with most fourth-round backs, expectations should be tempered for Etienne. According to the Footballguys Rookie Guide v3, Etienne is undersized, struggles with blocking, and is projected to contribute more as a receiver than as a workhorse. Our team notes: "Etienne could be deployed as a dynamic passing-down back, but it doesn't seem likely he'll see enough touches to have relevance in fantasy football." Hubbard, like Bucky Irving, is the exception, not the rule, when it comes to late-round breakouts.

Jonathon Brooks, the Panthers' 2024 second-round pick and presumed future starter, re-tore his ACL in December. He's been placed on the PUP list and will miss the entire 2025 season (via Adam Schefter).

Despite a more crowded room, Hubbard remains the only back to prove he can handle a full workhorse load. He logged a 77.3% snap share last season, and his 55 red zone opportunities exceeded the total of all Panthers wide receivers combined. That kind of goal-line trust is rare and valuable.

The takeaway? Dowdle is a capable backup, Etienne is a project, and Brooks is out. Hubbard? He’s already done it. This is his backfield.

An Underdog's Resilience

After spending a few years as a backup and often being overlooked, Chuba Hubbard never stopped grinding. In Week 13 of 2024, he fumbled in overtime against Tampa Bay — a costly mistake in a 26-23 loss. But Hubbard doesn’t shy away from adversity. He embraces it, saying:

"But I think the more adversity and the different things you handle throughout your career, and how you handle those things in those moments set you up. No one's perfect, and things aren't going to always go your way. And like I said, when you build up a basis for yourself, you fall back on that when hard times come."

Hubbard’s resilience showed in the numbers. His 1,195 rushing yards ranked 8th in the NFL in PPR formats. He forced 49 missed tackles (top 11 in the league) and consistently broke off big plays. He’s not just a grinder — he’s a playmaker.

The Panthers' Commitment

Midseason, the Panthers made it official. On November 7, 2024, Hubbard signed a four-year, $33.2 million extension (up to $37.2M with $15M guaranteed), as reported by Ian Rapoport.

The advanced stats back it up. Per PFF, Hubbard ranked:

• 11th in rushing TDs (10)
• 7th in yards after contact per attempt (3.46)
• 14th in explosive runs (26 of 10+ yards)

And he did it behind an offensive line graded 72.0 (C-) by PFN. Despite that, Carolina ranked 10th in run block win rate and 13th in yards per rush. Robert Hunt, their standout guard, graded as the second-best interior run blocker in RBWR.

In short, Hubbard turned bad blocking into good production. He’s not just surviving — he’s thriving.

Recent Stats

Projections

2025 Fantasy Outlook: The Underdog Value Play

The Footballguys projections above show a slight dip in Chuba Hubbard's 2025 rushing production, likely due to the additions of Rico Dowdle and rookie Trevor Etienne, along with the expected growth of Bryce Young's passing game with the arrival of rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan. Still, if there's one thing Hubbard has proven, it's that he thrives being the underdog.

Hubbard's current Sleeper ADP of RB17 sits well below where his production warrants, making him one of the more undervalued backs in redraft formats. He's coming off a season with 1,195 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns, and 43 receptions, but is being drafted as if those numbers didn't happen. Furthermore, in Underdog best ball ADP, he's currently being drafted as RB18 in the fifth round. At that price, the upside is too good to pass up.

This is the Chuba Hubbard underdog story: built on hard work, resilience, and exceeding expectations. At his ADP, he's a strong RB2 value with upside. Don't overthink it. Chuba Hubbard isn't fool's gold; he's the real deal. Take the fantasy gold and run.