NFL.com releases RB rankings, both Panthers RBs crack the top 30

NFL.com dropped their starting running back rankings for the 20205 regular season, and the Carolina Panthers have two backs featured in the top 30 of the 64 running backs ranked. Those running backs, of course, are Chubba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle.

Dowdle and Hubbard both had solid seasons for the Panthers. Dowdle stole the show starting in week five, while Hubbard was sidelined due to injury. In Dowdle’s first game with more than 10 carries, he went off, rushing for 206 yards and a touchdown.

The former Dallas Cowboys RB managed to reach the 1000-yard mark for the second straight year despite not having a game with more than 10 carries until week five.

As the Panthers saw in weeks 5-9 of this past NFL season, he was the most productive running back in the league when he was given the keys to the backfield, averaging 130 yards per game.

The production dipped for Dowdle at the end of the season, but there is evidence that when he's given a full RB1 workload, he can be as productive and explosive as any back in the league.

The Panthers have many holes to fill in their roster this offseason, but there is an argument to be made that no priority is higher than resigning Rico Dowdle and giving him the majority of carries.

Rico Dowdle says his decreased carries at the end of the season will impact his thinking in free agency. Says he wants to go somewhere where he can get bulk of the carries. pic.twitter.com/48v2892fZS
— Joe Person (@josephperson) January 11, 2026

Chubba Hubbard wasn’t able to match the production he put out in 2024; he totaled 511 yards and just one rushing touchdown on the season. The emergence of Rico Dowdle and Hubbard dealing with injury are two major reasons for this, but even as an RB2.

Hubbard is talented enough to be more productive than he was in 2025, and if Carolina wants to take another step in the right direction, it’s a must.

Chuba Hubbard gets Carolina on the board 🚨

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/9Dym1XQSWV
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 10, 2026

The rankings from NFL.com are pretty on par. Dowdle was ranked at No. 15, in the same range as guys like Kenneth Walker III from Seattle and Chase Brown from Cincinnati. Dowdle to close this year is largely looked at as a lower-tier RB1 and could easily rise in those rankings at the end of next season with another stellar year.

While Hubbard was ranked at No. 27, in the same range as some other running backs who share the backfield, in Rhamondre Stevenson from New England, and Jaylen Warren from Pittsburgh.

Going into next season, it should be clear for head coach Dave Canales that Hubbard can be a good second option for when Dowdle needs to come out, but that it’s still Dowdle’s backfield

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