The Panthers' backfield returned to a proper committee in Week 11 vs. the Cowboys. RB Miles Sanders handled a team-leading 11 carries for 50 rushing yards on a 45.7% snap share, all highs since Week 4 vs. the Vikings. His teammate Chuba Hubbard stayed active in the contest, tallying 65 total yards on 12 touches, but saw his lowest share of the RB carries (52.3%) over his last four games. Perhaps this is the beginning of Sanders returning to good health after being marred by groin and shoulder injuries to open 2023. Hubbard's rise in the first place can be primarily attributed to simply being the healthier of the two for a while, so it'll be worth monitoring this usage next week vs. the Titans. For now, fantasy managers should see if Sanders was dropped to the waiver wire. He might be worth scooping.
Week 10’s showdown vs. the Bears showed fantasy managers that Panthers RB Miles Sanders is probably safe to drop onto the waiver wire in shallow leagues. The veteran accumulated 10 total yards on 4 touches. Sanders played on just 38.3% of the Panthers’ offense snaps, actually lost yardage as a runner (2 carries, -5 yards), and generally just hasn’t been helpful since Week 3. Fellow RB Chuba Hubbard didn’t perform much better in the contest (11 touches, 39 total yards), though he continues to win the touch battle in this backfield. Hubbard will be the preferred runner in Carolina again in Week 11. However, he’ll have a tough time posting more than flex-level numbers against a Cowboys’ defense that ranks as the seventh-toughest RB matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed.
Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard out-touched teammate Miles Sanders 17 to 2 in Week 8 vs. the Texans. The veteran Sanders received 2 carries in the contest, only to be shut out completely in the fantasy box score. Hubbard, on the other hand, tallied 54 total yards on Sunday. This outcome is a bit of a surprise. While Sanders has dealt with injuries to his groin and shoulder early in 2023, it was reasonable to anticipate he’d be more involved coming off of the Panthers’ bye week presumably healthy. For now, it’s safe to operate with the understanding Hubbard will lead the way in Week 9 vs. the Colts.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (shoulder) put in a full week of practice and isn’t listed on the final injury report for Sunday’s game vs. the Texans. We don’t need to worry about Sanders’ health at this point, but his workload is uncertain. RB Chuba Hubbard has simply been the more effective player this season. We’re projecting Sanders to lead a fairly evenly split backfield this week, largely because Carolina gave him $13 million guaranteed). But neither Panther is better than a RB3.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (shoulder) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice. That puts him on track to play vs. the Texans this weekend. RB Chuba Hubbard had a nice game in Sanders' absence back in Week 6 and has been the more effective RB in general so far this season. But we're projecting Sanders to step back in as Carolina's lead back at least for Week 8.
Panthers HC Frank Reich told his players Monday that he's handing over play-calling duties to OC Thomas Brown, NFL Network reports. The move comes as Carolina heads into a Week 7 bye. That should help with the transition, which has been rumored to be on the way since before this season started. Brown was a trendy head-coaching candidate last offseason but is in his first year as an NFL OC. So it's tough to know what to expect here. Brown did spend his first three NFL coaching seasons on Sean McVay's offensive staff, though. And it's hard to imagine the Panthers getting much less efficient on offense. They sit third-worst so far at 4.4 yards per play and third-worst in net yards per pass attempt. We'll see whether the switch produces any noticeable boost to offensive efficiency and/or fantasy upside.
Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard handled 19 of 25 team RB attempts in a Week 6 loss at Miami. He scored once on the ground but surprisingly added only 1 catch on 1 target. Hubbard’s score came on Carolina’s first possession, where he found daylight on a 6-yard run up the gut. Miles Sanders should return following a Week 7 bye, but Hubbard likely earned a bigger role going forward. Carolina squares off with the Texans in Week 8.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (shoulder) is out for Sunday's game vs. the Dolphins. He'd been battling a bum groin and then picked up a shoulder injury last week. Sanders gets a Week 7 bye to heal up. His absence this weekend leaves Chuba Hubbard as Carolina's lead back. Sanders and Hubbard have combined to average 19.2 carries and 7.6 targets per game this season. We're certainly not expecting Hubbard to soak up all of that. The Panthers also have RB Raheem Blackshear and could use WR Laviska Shenault in the running game. But Hubbard should get enough work to be a decent RB2 play in fantasy lineups.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (shoulder) missed practice again on Thursday. He's in real danger of missing this weekend's game vs. the Dolphins. Sanders' absence would leave Chuba Hubbard as Carolina's lead back -- and a lower-end, volume-based fantasy starter. Check back tomorrow for another update on Sanders.
Panthers HC Frank Reich told reporters Wednesday that RB Miles Sanders won't be practicing Wednesday because he "came out of the game with a little something" in his shoulder, according to Darin Gantt of the team website. Assuming the team didn't find buried treasure in that joint, Sanders is adding some sort of shoulder injury to a groin issue that has bothered him on several occasions already this year. We'll see how he progresses through the practice week, but Chuba Hubbard could be in for another solid share of backfield work in Week 6. He's worth holding -- or a modest waiver buy -- this week. No Panthers RB will be exciting against the Dolphins, however.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders lost a fumble and took a backseat to teammate Chuba Hubbard in Week 5’s loss vs. the Lions. The veteran still has a groin injury that he's working through, so it makes sense that Carolina spread the wealth around. Sanders only logged 7 carries for 32 yards, though Hubbard’s 9 attempts for 35 yards weren’t much better. Neither RB was effective in the contest against the Lions’ stout run D. It also didn’t help matters that WR Laviska Shenault Jr. siphoned off 5 carries, but sometimes weird stuff happens. It’s possible both Sanders and Hubbard could be viable deeper league options in a much better matchup vs. the Dolphins in Week 6.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (groin) is not listed on the final Week 5 injury report. He practiced all week, including a full workout on Friday. It's an upgrade over last week, when Sanders got in just two limited practices and was listed as questionable. We expect Sanders to re-take the backfield lead vs. the Lions this weekend after being out-snapped by RB Chuba Hubbard last week.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (groin) was limited in Wednesday's practice. He was limited last Wednesday and Thursday, didn't practice on Friday, and then played a season-low 43% of the offensive snaps in the loss to the Vikings. We'll see how Sanders progresses throughout this week, but he'll be a shaky fantasy play if he doesn't get in a full practice on Thursday or Friday.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders saw his playing time limited in Sunday's loss to Minnesota. He played six fewer snaps than Chuba Hubbard and trailed his teammate in routes and carries. Sanders gained just 19 yards on his 13 rushes (1.5 per carry). He caught all 3 targets but managed only 13 yards. Hubbard ran for 41 yards on 14 rushes (2.9 per carry) and caught both of his targets for 12 yards. Sanders didn't practice much leading up to the game, thanks to a groin injury that rendered him questionable. We'll see if HC Frank Reich signals any role shift or improvement in Sanders' injury ahead of a Week 5 visit to Detroit.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (groin) is active for today’s game vs. the Vikings. He went from limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday to no practice on Friday. But Reich said Friday that he was "optimistic" that Sanders would be able to play. And NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said this morning that there would be “no issues” for Sanders. He seems reasonably safe to get into fantasy lineups.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (groin) is expected to play vs. the Vikings today, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "No issues," Rapoport adds. It sounds like Sanders is safe to keep in Week 4 fantasy lineups. He ranks 15th in carries and first in targets among RBs through three weeks.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (groin) is listed as questionable for this weekend's game vs. the Vikings. He went from limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday to no practice on Friday, which is obviously worrisome. But HC Frank Reich said Friday that he's "optimistic" that Sanders will be able to play this weekend. We'll look for further updates on the situation and get Carolina's inactives around 11:30 am ET on Sunday. Chuba Hubbard would step in as Carolina's lead back if Sanders is out.
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