Fantasy Football Week 8 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em TNF: Josh Jacobs vs. Chuba Hubbard

Evaluating who to play in fantasy football this week between Green Bay Packers RB Josh Jacobs and Carolina Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard.

Oct 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Thursday Night Football in Week 8 will feature the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers. In that matchup are two RBs with high fantasy football ceilings: Green Bay RB Josh Jacobs and Carolina RB Chuba Hubbard. Here is a breakdown of who fantasy managers should have in their starting lineups between Jacobs and Hubbard this week.

Chuba Hubbard

Oct 25, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) runs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Bank of America Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hubbard had a bad week in fantasy in Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had seven rushes for 33 yards and four receptions for 27 yards. It broke a streak he had of two consecutive games rushing for over 100 yards. His down outing in fantasy can be mostly equated to Tampa Bay taking a large early lead, forcing Carolina to mainly use their pass game while playing so behind. Thus resulting in the fewest rushing attempts Hubbard has had all season. 

Chubbard’s Week 8 opponent, Green Bay, in 2026 as a whole has been a slightly below-average rushing defense. They are giving up the 17th fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL, 115.0. Over their last three games, they have been better, allowing just 82.7 rushing yards per game.

The Packers are allowing the sixth-most standard fantasy points and the sixth-most PPR fantasy points to opposing RBs. The last three RB1s to face them rushed for 116, 41, and 43 yards. Two out of three of the RBs scored TDs, which has been a bit of a weakness for the Packers in defending RBs. They have given up a total of 10 TDs to opposing RBs this season.

Josh Jacobs

Oct 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs the ball for a first down during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jacobs’ return could not have been that much more encouraging with the workload he had in Week 7 against the Detroit Lions. He played in 52% of snaps and logged 11 carries for 36 yards and five receptions on seven targets for 55 yards and a TD. With another week of practice under his belt, some sort of ramp-up in his snap share feels likely in Week 8 against the Panthers.

Carolina, so far in 2026, has had an awful rushing defense. They are giving up the most rushing yards per game in the NFL: 153.2. That has resulted in them being an ideal defense for opposing RBs to go against this season. The Panthers are allowing the second-most PPR and standard points to opposing RBs.

The last three RB1s to go against Carolina rushed for 46, 35, and 106 yards and all scored a TD.

Final Verdict

When it comes to who fantasy managers should start in Week 8 between Jacobs and Hubbard, they should start Jacobs.

Both are great fantasy starting options and have the potential to be top-10 scoring fantasy RBs for the week, but Jacobs has higher potential with the matchup he has against the Carolina defense. His usage in the pass game was also super encouraging in Week 7. He could make a similar impact against the Panthers, with them giving up four receptions to two of the last three RB1s they have gone against.

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