Yahoo Sports fantasy analyst Matt Harmon and NFL analyst Nate Tice discuss the Panthers running back’s season to this point and why he’ll remain the go-to option for head coach Dave Canales in the Carolina backfield. Hear the full conversation on the “Yahoo Fantasy Forecast” podcast – and subscribe on , , or
Video Transcript
I will say just like, even when Brooks gets back there, if, and I do still think it’s an, if they, they’ve been kind of coy about whether, you know, they even expect him to play this season, which it’s a little tough like that.
You have one of the most successful running backs in the NFL right now on a, on like a per rush basis.
And you spent a second round pick on a guy that might not even play with you play for you and you’re not, and it’s not a premium position.
I’m not an anti running back guy, but it’s not a premium position.
Again, you can find a Tuba Hubbard and it’s just, it’s tough.
It’s tough when you’re in the place where the Panthers are.
Now.
That being said though Canalis is even, I’ve, I’ve heard interviews with him, I’ve seen him talk about Tuba Hubbard and describe him as one of the guys we want like to lift up, you know, because of how hard he works and yada, yada and you’ve mentioned the commitment to the run game.
So I don’t know, man, like, what is the rest of the season?
Gonna play out in, in this Carolina backfield.
Do you think here they’re, they’re not shying away from it.
I think it’s Hubbard’s thing.
Like Hubbard’s, you know, that’s who’s gonna get the primary touches because even if Brooks does come back, say he does make a miracle thing comes back in the last six weeks or whatever, they’re still probably gonna ease him in and they probably don’t trust him to do some of the little thing, stuff.
Another thing with Brooks, he’s not the biggest guy either.
So even like, I always pictured him as part of a, maybe a one A with another one b, you know, part of the rotation.
So, like, like I, I still think this is Hubbard’s show, um going against the defense, he’s going against upcoming, like, you know, he has the giants who you get them.
They are tough, they’re better against the pass as far as the pass rusher.
You can get them against the run.
But, you know, it’s a tougher defense, but then the Chiefs after their by week, chiefs are tough against the run this year too.
So this is more of a, the defenses.
They go against them, maybe his role at all.
And also if they’re down in those games, are they throwing it more?
Are they kind of like, you know, not be able to stay in some neutral game?
Script hasn’t hurt him so far as they got their, you know, they get whitewashed week in and week out, but it’s kinda, um, so I think it’s just still, this is his backfield at worst.
It gets turns into a 7030 kind of thing, um, or a 7525 kind of thing because I think they’re, they, they won’t want to rush Brooks right back in because that is a major injury.
So, uh, you know, you gotta have some rust beaten off of him or worked off of him as he kind of comes back in.
So I think Hoard just maintained the course.
Is he gonna be a top?
Was he seventh right now?
I still think he’s crazy.
I still think he stays with good numbers.
Is he top eight still the rest of the year?
I’m not sure, but he’s still gonna hover in that area because the usage is there, their type of style is still there and he’s kind of earned those touches like you just mentioned him working hard.
That’s why the coaches like him.
They’re like, probably like going like, hey, I don’t need this other guy that’s not gonna be here.
Why do you think they got rid of, you know, Deontay Johnson to keep the streak going with him?
But they’re getting guys that if they’re building a culture, they’re gonna reward the guys that are showing that they invest in the culture and I’m, I’m guessing that he’s one of them.
Yeah, he has 100 and 33 carries Miles Sanders second on the team with 36.
So there is some room here for him to give a little bit and still be a very productive fantasy back.
I mean, look, we’re talking about the Lions offense versus the damn, uh Panthers offense, but I could see this turning into a Jamir Gibbs, David Montgomery type of thing where, especially because Hubbard’s a free agent at the end of the year.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they resign him and you know, just again because we’re trying to build a culture here and people are like, what are you doing?
You just drafted Jonathan Brooks like me, I’m literally saying Matt Harmon drafted Jonathan Brooks in, in the first round of his dy rookie draft.
Like I want this guy to get all the touches, maybe that’s not the type back he is and Hubbard could end up being like the David Montgomery of that situation.