Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard earns questionable ranking from Pro Football Focus

Carolina's underappreciated running back continues to be underappreciated.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) after his game winning touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers have had their ups and downs over the last 30 years, from two Super Bowl appearances to seven straight losing seasons. One thing you can always count on is that this franchise will be overlooked when it comes to assessing the competition.

As a team, even fans of four-win clubs feel entitled to write them off as irrelevant. Individually, the Panthers are frequently underrated at their respective positions.

The latest disrespect for Carolina comes from a ranking of the league's top 32 running backs by Pro Football Focus. They have the Panthers' criminally underrated starter Chuba Hubbard in the middle of their list, coming in at No. 16.

PFF on ranking Chuba Hubbard 16 at RB

"Hubbard ranks eighth among NFL running backs for PFF WAR generated over the past two seasons. He posted an 86.3 PFF rushing grade with a 3.46 yards-after-contact average in 2024. His 39.5 PFF receiving grade is what holds him back from placing higher."

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) during warmups against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

It's fair to point out that Hubbard is not an elite pass-catching threat at running back. However, where it matters he's as good as they come. Last season Hubbard posted an 86.3 rushing grade, which ranked 10th among all running backs with enough snaps to qualify.

10th feels about right for where Hubbard should be ranked at his position. At the very least he should rank higher than Breece Hall, Jonathan Taylor, James Cook and Ashton Jeanty - who might be better than all of them but has yet to take a snap in the NFL.

More bulletin board material for a team that should be turning the corner and aiming to post their first winning record since the 2017 season.

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