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Panthers have top-10 running back room in NFL

The Carolina Panthers have one of the best rushing attacks in the league.

Jeremy Brener

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard takes the field during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard takes the field during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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The Carolina Panthers saw some growth when it came to their running game last season.

The big reason behind was Chuba Hubbard, whose success helped him land a four-year extension during the 2024 season where he was breaking out.

Hubbard is a big reason why Pro Football Focus writer Dalton Wasserman ranked the Panthers at No. 10 in his running back position group rankings.

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard jumps over Arizona Cardinals cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard jumps over Arizona Cardinals cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"Carolina suddenly has two starting-caliber backs who get to run behind a solid offensive line. Chuba Hubbard ranked ninth in PFF rushing grade and eighth in yards after contact per attempt among qualifiers last season," Wasserman wrote.

"Meanwhile, Rico Dowdle turned in his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign in Dallas. The Panthers also thought highly enough of Trevor Etienne to select him in the fourth round of this year’s draft. This team has no shortage of rushing options as it continues to build a supporting cast around Bryce Young."

The teams ranking ahead of the Panthers are the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens.

Adding Dowdle gives the Panthers a little insurance in case Hubbard can't stay healthy this season, but Carolina could incorporate both into a committee.

This is the most talented Panthers offense since Christian McCaffrey was in the building at the beginning of the decade, so the team has a lot of promise going into the season.

Hubbard, Dowdle and the Panthers veterans will report to training camp on July 22 while rookies will come in the day before on July 21.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle runs the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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