The Panthers selected Jonathon Brooks 46th overall out of Texas in April's NFL Draft, but the rookie has yet to make his league debut.
As Brooks recovered from ACL surgery to begin the 2024 season, Carolina relied on other options, including Chuba Hubbard, to lead its running back room.
However, Brooks is nearing his return to the gridiron and should soon be ready to make his debut in a Panthers uniform.
Will that come in Week 12 against the Chiefs? Here are the latest updates on Brooks' playing status, along with a look at the Panthers' RB depth chart and Brooks' fantasy outlook.
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Is Jonathon Brooks playing this week?
Brooks, the top running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, will make his NFL debut against the Chiefs this week. That was expected all week, but the team made it official by keeping Brooks off its Sunday inactives report.
The team signaled Brooks' return all week. Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Friday that he "absolutely" expects Brooks to return to the field in Week 12. The running back was listed as probable on the injury report following Friday's practice.
Brooks tore his ACL while still at Texas but still posted 1,139 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns in his third collegiate season with the Longhorns in 2023.
His recovery has been a long one, as Carolina's season is already in its closing stages with a 3-7 record. But Brooks will be a welcomed offensive addition to the Panthers' offense.
It sounds like Brooks avoided any last-minute setbacks, and will play his first NFL snaps against the defending Super Bowl champions Sunday.
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Panthers RB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Chuba Hubbard |
| 2 | Jonathon Brooks (questionable) |
| 3 | Miles Sanders (out) |
| 4 | Raheem Blackshear |
No. 1: Chuba Hubbard
While Brooks' rookie debut will certainly be exciting for the Panthers' offense, there's little doubt that Hubbard will remain the team's No. 1 back.
Hubbard's 818 rushing yards this season currently rank fourth in the NFL, as the fourth-year player has three games with over 100 yards on the ground.
On a Panthers team lacking in talent in many areas, Hubbard has been a bright spot. He recently inked a four-year extension with the franchise, poised to remain a key piece in Carolina's backfield for years to come.
No. 2: Jonathon Brooks
Brooks is likely going to be playing limited snaps in some fashion to begin his rookie season, due to both his injury and Hubbard's RB1 status.
However, should Brooks look anything like the running back Texas fans watched for three seasons, the Panthers could have a two-headed monster in their running back room.
There's a reason Brooks was the first running back taken off of draft boards in April, as the now-21-year-old produced 6.1 yards per carry last college football season. For now though, he'll likely be the Panthers' RB2 behind Hubbard.
No. 3: Miles Sanders
Sanders, the former Philadelphia Eagle, hasn't enjoyed as much on-the-field success since signing with Carolina after the 2022 season.
He posted 432 rushing yards in 2023, and has 139 ground yards through 10 games played so far this season. Functioning more often as a receiving back nowadays, the 27-year-old Sanders has just two touchdowns in a Panthers uniform.
Sanders is currently dealing with an ankle injury, and he will not play in Sunday's matchup against the Chiefs.
No. 4: Raheem Blackshear
Blackshear is in his third season with the Panthers, but hasn't seen extensive time on the field so far. He has yet to log a carry in the 2024 season.
Over his 37 career carries, Blackshear has 123 rushing yards and three touchdowns. With Brooks now healthy, Blackshear will likely remain a depth option for Carolina.
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Jonathon Brooks fantasy outlook
Fantasy expectations should be managed early on for Brooks, including for Carolina's Week 12 matchup against the Chiefs.
For one, Brooks is returning from a major injury, an ACL tear. Very often, players are eased back into action after sustaining a significant injury such as Brooks'.
On top of that, Hubbard will have command of the Panthers' backfield until his production falls off or he's injured. As one of the top running backs in the league this season, there's no reason to expect Carolina to stop feeding Hubbard through the rest of 2024, limiting Brooks' potential fantasy ceiling.
Finally, for Week 12, Panthers running backs draw a tough matchup against the Chiefs' defense (85.3 rushing yards allowed per game, ranks third in NFL). Despite the excitement surrounding his return, the circumstances just aren't there to consider Brooks a strong starting option in fantasy this week.
Until there's a better read on how Carolina will manage Brooks' snaps over its final stretch of the season, there's likely better options to start at running back over the rookie.
