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Jonathon Brooks blew out his right knee for the second time in 13 months on his 12th touch of 2025. He missed the rest of the season as a result, and that has likely pushed him to the back of many fantasy managers' minds. That could pay off for those patient enough to stomach what is expected to be a feeling-out process during the first half of 2026 -- for both Brooks and the Panthers.
Had Brooks not gotten hurt in November of his final college season at Texas, he likely would have been a first-round pick. He replaced Bijan Robinson for the Longhorns, and while Brooks is not in Robinson's class, he showed the kind of explosiveness that arguably made him the top running back prospect in the 2024 draft.
Whether the two knee injuries have robbed him of that explosiveness remains to be seen. But there should be at least some optimism, considering the start of the 2026 season will mark roughly 18 months since his latest injury. At worst, Brooks becomes a thorn in the side of Hubbard fantasy managers as part of a committee. At best, he becomes Rico Dowdle 2.0 and takes over the lead-back role in Carolina.
For drafting purposes, Brooks is currently going as an RB4. That's a fair ranking. Grabbing him in that range is a low-risk, high-reward value. Exercising patience, however, will be necessary if you decide to pull the trigger.
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 Chuba Hubbard week-to-week with hamstring injury
Expected to be ready for Week 1
By: Mike Krueger | Thu Aug 13, 11:22 am
|  | #Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard has a hamstring injury. He’s week to week, per Dave Canales. (Mike Kaye on X)
FFToday's Take: This Chuba injury isn't going to slow down the Jonathon Brooks steam that has been happening in the preseason. Canales said he expects Hubbard to be ready for Week 1 but regardless, his ADP (RB30) should take a hit in the coming days.
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