Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is battling a calf injury, and it appears as though the former fourth-round pick will not suit up in Week 5’s battle against the Miami Dolphins. While nothing is official, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport recently tweeted that Hubbard is “expected to miss Sunday’s game.”
Breaking: Chuba Hubbard Likely to Miss Week 5 With Calf Injury
With Chuba Hubbard likely sidelined due to injury, the Carolina Panthers will send Rico Dowdle to handle starting duties. A former undrafted free agent, the South Carolina product broke out for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. Taking over for a departed Tony Pollard, the veteran finished the season with 1,079 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 235 carries. He parlayed this success into a one-year deal with the Panthers and now has a chance to justify that investment. So far this season, Dowdle has recorded 83 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries.
Rookie running back Trevor Etienne could also see a larger role in the offense. The Georgia product has played sparingly, recording eight carries for 37 yards on the season, with most of that work coming late in the team’s blowout loss to the New England Patriots. In that contest, he recorded 33 yards on seven carries.
Chuba Hubbard originally entered the league as a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Selected by the Carolina Panthers, Hubbard was supposed to be the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey and, later, second-round pick Jonathon Brooks. However, Hubbard saw plenty of playing time thanks to a barrage of injuries and ultimately earned a full-time starting job. To date, he has recorded 3,392 yards and 22 touchdowns on 808 attempts.
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