Carolina Panthers RB Miles Sanders was questionable coming into the game on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings with a groin injury, but he ended up playing. Sanders ended Sunday with 41 yards on the ground and 13 yards receiving.
Both Sanders and Chuba Hubbard carried the ball almost the same amount this week, but the latter played 38 snaps to Sanders’ 32. Hubbard also ran more routes, running 17 to Sanders’ 13.
Hubbard finished the game with 53 all-purpose yards and no touchdowns, but the split with Sanders is a big deal. Last week, Hubbard only had 10% of the RB rushing attempts, but this week, that skyrocketed to 52%.
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Should Chuba Hubbard Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 5?
If you were monitoring the Sanders news this week, you may have already run to the waiver wire to scoop up Hubbard prior to kickoff. He might have even been drafted in deeper leagues — for good reason.
Hubbard has already had two decent fantasy football outputs this year. In the first two weeks of 2023, he had 76 total yards rushing and 43 yards receiving.
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Hubbard has been a solid RB before. The main reason behind drafting Sanders this season was because of the volume he would get as the primary running back in Carolina, but if the split with Hubbard continues, that might be a problem.
But what is a problem for Sanders could be beneficial for Hubbard. If the timeshare continues to move in Hubbard’s direction, coupled with Sanders’ lingering groin injury, the former could become a consideration as a weekly Flex or RB2.
The RB landscape continued to be bleak, with injuries happening on a weekly basis, so whenever a backup RB shows talent and opportunity, you have to pursue him on the waiver wire.