We are proud to be among the first, if not the first, to publish full projections for the upcoming season, going live just days after the Super Bowl. Publishing detailed projections in early February comes with trade-offs, not the least of which is a near-total lack of clarity on how free agency, cap transactions, and the NFL draft will reshape rosters.
We've been updating our projections in near real time, including during the recent onslaught of free-agent transactions. This version will remain largely stable until we can layer in the April NFL draft, but stable projections don't mean settled debates.
We have a staff of sharp analysts with sharp takes of their own, so I thought it would be worthwhile to solicit their views on the key coin-toss situations that will shape each team's outlook in the coming months. These are important questions where reasonable, informed people can credibly land in very different places. I asked my colleagues to weigh in with one assumption: they were answering strictly through the lens of a standard 0.5-PPR redraft league.
Carolina Panthers Coin-Toss Questions
- Will Young Finally Be Fantasy Relevant?
- What Is Hubbard's Ceiling?
- Who Will Be the Panthers RB2?
- Has McMillan Reached His Ceiling?
- How High Should You Draft Coker?
Where do you rank Chuba Hubbard this season, with Rico Dowdle moving on this offseason?
Andy Hicks: Chuba Hubbard had been a useful surprise as a fantasy back across his first three seasons, with his 2024 breakout rewarding that steady production. However, 2025 marked the worst year of his career, culminating in Rico Dowdle overtaking him on the depth chart. The team is hoping Jonathan Brooks can lock down the backup role, which would put even more pressure on Hubbard if his struggles continue. At present, Hubbard projects around RB30 — though that could shift depending on rookie landing spots. There's still some upside here, and at the right cost, he's worth exploring.
Maurile Tremblay: I'd put Hubbard in the low-end RB2 range, roughly RB20–RB24 for 2026. Dowdle's departure helps because the Panthers are comfortable with Hubbard as the primary back, but I wouldn't rank him much higher because Jonathon Brooks is expected back in the mix, A.J. Dillon could steal some short-yardage work, and the offense still doesn't project as especially explosive. So he looks more like a solid volume-based RB2 than a player I'd target as a top-15 back.
Jeff Haseley: With Rico Dowdle now in Pittsburgh, Hubbard is a solid RB2. He's proven he can handle a heavy workload, and the Panthers seem content to let him be the lead dog. The offensive line situation is good, but not great — I don't believe it will be a deterrent to running back success.
