2025 Dynasty Faller: Chuba Hubbard
Keep your head on a swivel in your startup dynasty leagues—don’t be blinded by the facade. At first glance, Chuba Hubbard looks like an RB2 worth drafting. Think workload, efficiency, and backfield competition—we’ll unpack the numbers and roster moves to see if Hubbard can hold up in your Dynasty startup draft.
Dynasty League Football (DLF) currently ranks Hubbard RB21 in one-QB leagues—a reasonable spot given his opportunity for the upcoming season. But in Superflex leagues, he falls to RB33.
That gap reveals growing skepticism about his long-term Dynasty upside.
Last season, Hubbard rushed for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking him tied with Aaron Jones at RB14 in PPR fantasy scoring. This breakout might be largely attributed to new Head Coach Dave Canales, previously with Tampa Bay.
But is this a one-hit wonder? Let’s dig into the data and roster decisions to find out.
Entering his age-26 season, Hubbard is coming off his biggest workload yet—nearly 300 touches. The dude was everywhere last year, logging a wild 77.8% snap share. Third-highest in the league, behind only Jonathan Taylor and Kyren Williams. More on that later.
Rico Dowdle’s one-year, fully guaranteed $2.75 million contract (per Spotrac.com) is both a prove-it deal and a vote of confidence—the Panthers are betting he can deliver.
Last year, he was the lead back for the ‘Boys and played just 57.7% of snaps but still rushed for 1,079 yards and finished as a back-end RB2 (RB23 in fantasy scoring).
Unlike Hubbard, who needed heavy volume to deliver RB14 numbers, Dowdle has shown he can produce with less opportunity.
And if you’re looking for efficiency? I got you. Among RBs with 100+ carries, Hubbard ranked RB7 in yards after contact per attempt, while Dowdle was not far behind at RB12 (per Fantasy Points Data).
Both backs have similar builds and running styles, making Dowdle a very plausible alternative in this offense.
Backfield Crowding and Future Competition:
In 2023, the Panthers ran a similar split backfield with Hubbard at 59.6% snap share and Miles Sanders alongside him. Hubbard finished as a flex-worthy RB27.
With the Panthers adding rookie Trevor Etienne in the fourth round of the 2025 draft, the backfield is even more crowded. Etienne might not be a factor immediately, but he is a name to watch.
The true value in Carolina’s backfield isn’t Chuba Hubbard. Look beyond the surface and focus on the bigger picture. Let someone else draft Hubbard while you target younger backs with higher upside, such as rookie Kaleb Johnson or even Tre Benson—both available later in drafts.
Outsmart the Competition:
Between the 13th and 14th rounds in one-QB and Superflex leagues, you can draft Rico Dowdle and save valuable draft capital compared to taking Hubbard.
Chuba ate in 2024, but that lunch buffet is closed—and Rico Dowdle is already stealing his lunch money. Let someone else pay up while you grab the real value later.