ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle will split the workload in the team’s backfield.

15 October 2025

The Panthers, per Fowler, “are taking the approach that both players will get their touches regardless of who gets the first snap. Both fit the Panthers’ tough-minded, grind-it-out mold.” The Panthers “want to be a run-first team, and since it’s a long season, they will need both players.” The Panthers before Hubbard’s calf injury would give him two drives, them Dowdle would get one. Those “rotations will inevitably change due to Dowdle’s star turn,” Fowlers said. It’ll be tough for the Panthers to sideline Dowdle after he racked up 473 total yards over his two starts. It wouldn’t be a shock if Dowdle functioned as the team’s nominal lead back for now.