Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard Week-to-Week With Hamstring Injury, Coach Confident for Week 1

The Carolina Panthers have had a rough training camp when it comes to health. The team already lost wide receiver Chris Brazzell II to season-ending knee surgery and outside linebacker Nic Scourton to a torn ACL in the opening weeks of camp. Now running back Chuba Hubbard is banged up, too — though this one looks far less severe.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales told reporters Thursday that Hubbard is week-to-week with a hamstring injury, according to The Athletic’s Joe Person on X. Canales said he’s “very confident” Hubbard will be ready for the regular-season opener against the Bears, and he expects the running back to return to practice with time to spare before that game.

Person posted on X: “Canales says Chuba Hubbard, dealing with a hamstring injury, is week-to-week. Canales said he’s ‘very confident’ Hubbard will be ready for Week 1.” —

Canales: Chuba Hubbard is week to week with a hamstring issue. Confident that he’ll be ready for Week 1. pic.twitter.com/u6zeMeD4yZ

— Joe Person (@josephperson) August 13, 2026

Hubbard did not practice Thursday. ESPN’s Mike Kaye separately confirmed the week-to-week designation, and NFL.com’s news desk reported the same detail Thursday, noting Canales called himself “very confident” about the Week 1 timeline. With two independent outlets corroborating Person’s report, the injury and outlook are considered confirmed, even as the exact severity and expected return date remain unspecified.

Brooks Gets the Start Against Buffalo

With Hubbard sidelined for now, Canales said Jonathon Brooks will start at running back Saturday when the Panthers host the Buffalo Bills in their preseason opener. Person also posted that update on X: “Canales says Jonathon Brooks will start at running back Saturday against the Bills.” —

Canales: Jonathon Brooks will start at RB vs. the Bills. Etienne and Dillon also in the mix.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) August 13, 2026

It will be Brooks’ first preseason action as a pro. The former Texas back has dealt with multiple ACL injuries in his young career, and this camp marked a chance to show he’s fully back to form. Now, instead of splitting reps with Hubbard as originally planned, he gets a full runway to lead the offense — even if only in a preseason setting.

Trevor Etienne and A.J. Dillon are also expected to see carries against Buffalo, giving Carolina a full look at its running back depth while Hubbard rehabs.

Hubbard’s Track Record

Hubbard carried the ball 134 times for 511 yards and a touchdown in 2025, a season in which Rico Dowdle emerged as Carolina’s leading rusher. He still averaged a respectable 3.8 yards per carry in a reduced role. The bigger number worth remembering: 2024, when Hubbard ran for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns before a late-season calf injury ended his year early.

The plan entering camp was for Hubbard and Brooks to share the backfield in 2026. That arrangement is on hold for now, but nothing about Canales’ comments suggests it’s off the table once Hubbard is healthy. A hamstring strain, treated cautiously in August, is a common camp injury — the kind teams would rather manage now than risk aggravating in Week 1.

Carolina spent heavily on defense this offseason, adding edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd, among others. If that unit performs, the Panthers could be positioned for more early leads — which would only add value to whichever back is healthy and playing behind Bryce Young.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.