Panthers head coach Dave Canales gave an update on running back Jonathon Brooks’s knee injury at his Monday press conference and it was not a positive one.

Canales said that Brooks tore the ACL in his right knee during Sunday’s 22-16 loss to the Eagles. Brooks tore the same ACL during his final season at Texas and the second-round pick was playing in his third game after being activated from the non-football injury list.

Related players: Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone

It's a terrible outcome for what many considered the top RB back at the NFL Draft. Brooks will look to be back before the start of next season, but given how careful the Panthers were with Brooks coming into this season, one can assume they will take a similar path. As the story said, Hubbard went over 1,000 yards against the Eagles, and with Sanders already injured and Blackshear injured during the game, Hubbard was forced to carry the load. He should continue to do so for the rest of the season. The team has Boone on the practice squad, but will likely need to make anther move at the position.

Canales says he “fully expect(s)” Jonathon Brooks to play this week.

Related players: Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear

However, Canales added they still need to go through the week of work. The team doesn't expect Sanders (foot/ankle) to play, after we last saw him get carted off the field in Germany in Week 10. Brooks should back up Hubbard this week against the Chiefs, and it seems likely the team may ease Brooks into action after waiting this long to get him into his first game. It should be a tough go against the Chiefs and with the team likely playing from behind, it seems like Hubbard and Blackshear could see work on passing downs as the Panthers try to play catch-up. It's probably best to take the "wait-and-see" approach with Brooks.

Canales said Chuba Hubbard is good to go with his knee.
Miles Sanders is seeing a specialist for foot/ankle injury. That one doesn't sound great.

Related players: Jonathon Brooks, Raheem Blackshear

Hubbard briefly left the game after fumbling the ball while getting twisted up on a tackle. However, Hubbard walked off under his own power and returned to the game on the next possession. Sanders, meanwhile, was carted off with his injury and is probably going to miss time. The Panthers have a bye in Week 11 and one would expect Brooks to make his debut when they return in Week 12. Hubbard is fresh off a signing a big contract but the Sanders injury should allow the team to finally get a look at Brooks. Once Brooks is available, considering Hubbard's contract and Brooks' draft capital, it will be interesting to see how the team divides up work at RB going forward.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Panthers will leave Jonathon Brooks on the non-football injury list for the start of the regular season. That will remove him from the active roster and will leave him ineligible to play in the first four games of the regular season.

Related players: Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard, Mike Boone, Raheem Blackshear, Jaden Shirden

Brooks tore his ACL during his final season at Texas, but the Panthers still selected him in the second round in April, the story said. The story added the team was hoping to have Brooks back by Week 3 or 4, but are taking it slow with him. Hubbard should be the guy to own in terms of fantasy with Sanders also getting his work. Brooks is still expected to be back, and is very likely to take over the RB1 role at some point soon after his return.

Panthers ruled out RB Miles Sanders for Sunday’s game vs. the Dolphins due to his shoulder injury.

Related Players: Chuba Hubbard, Raheem Blackshear, Laviska Shenault

Sanders has once again been one of the least-efficient backs in the league, while Hubbard has looked above-average on his limited touches. The latter should be considered an RB2 while the veteran misses time.

Panthers QB Bryce Young was a full participant with his ankle injury, and he’s off the injury report. Good to go. Meanwhile, RB Miles Sanders (groin) is questionable.

Related Players: Chuba Hubbard, Raheem Blackshear

Chuba Hubbard has actually been quite productive with limited touches so far this season, averaging 6.5 yards per carry and 5.0 yards created after contact per attempt. Compare those numbers to Sanders' respective 3.4 and 2.22 marks through three weeks. Hubbard would make an interesting RB2 candidate if Sanders is forced to miss a week.

Panthers free-agent acquisition Miles Sanders is back —he hopes— to being a three-down back. Sanders, now 26, is confident that reuniting with running backs coach Duce Staley, who was a Pederson assistant in Philly, will help him re-emerge as a receiving threat out of the backfield.

Related Players: Chuba Hubbard, Raheem Blackshear

Sanders bottomed out as a pass-catcher in 2022, with new career lows in receptions (20), yards (78), and receptions for first downs (two). He's really got nowhere to go but up after finishing the season, ranking 49th/49 qualifying backs with a 0.28 yards per route run mark. Leaving a team that has a quarterback that is prone to taking off with the ball on third downs should help, but his efficiency marks last year were stark. The good news is, he doesn't have a ton of competition for backfield touches with the way the depth chart is set up at the moment. Sanders is currently ranked as a mid-tier RB2.

Running back Chuba Hubbard (ankle), who did some limited work earlier in the week, was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bengals. He did not participate in Friday's practice after doing some limited work on Wednesday and Thursday.

Related Players: D'Onta Foreman, Raheem Blackshear

D'Onta Foreman took his opportunity and ran with it in Weeks 7 and 8, accruing back-to-back 100+ yard games, while scoring three touchdowns last week. With minimal competition for touches, he should be considered a fringe RB1/2 on Sunday.

Christian McCaffrey was a game-time decision for the Panthers but he is active against the Cardinals.

Carolina Panthers inactives

RB Raheem Blackshear
CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
OL Cade Mays
DT Phil Hoskins
WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
DE Amaré Barno