4 changes the Carolina Panthers' coaching staff must consider in Week 4

Chuba Hubbard should be Carolina Panthers' main ball carrier

One player who deserves immense credit for his development is running back Chuba Hubbard. He was the source of great criticism during his rookie year, mainly for his ineptitude as a pass catcher. The ongoing joke amongst Carolina Panthers fans was that the wife of former head coach Matt Rhule told her husband to draft the former Oklahoma State star after his performances against Baylor, the program he left to take his chances at the next level.

Maybe former general manager Scott Fitterer should have offered Julie Rhule a job in the scouting department because she got this particular prospect analysis correct. We’ve seen Hubbard improve year on year in Carolina. Week 3 at the Las Vegas Raiders was arguably the 2021 fourth-round selection's best outing for the Panthers.  

Hubbard finished the game with 21 carries for 114 rushing yards, adding five receptions from as many targets for 55 receiving yards and a touchdown on the game's opening drive. This was another major boost and cemented the Canadian native's status as an integral part of Carolina's plans with head coach Dave Canales leading the charge.

Despite the excellent production of Hubbard, he played just 58 percent of the snaps. Veteran Miles Sanders accounted for 42% of the offensive snaps. So the Panthers are splitting the running back reps almost completely down the middle.

Sanders' production was not even in the same stratosphere as Hubbard's. He compiled seven carries for 17 rushing yards and two receptions for 13 receiving yards. This cannot carry on for much longer, especially with Carolina yet to play its trump card.

With rookie Jonathon Brooks nearing his return from an ACL injury, one would imagine Sanders' role within the team would reduce further. Hubbard’s snap count should be pushing toward 75 percent instead of just over half this weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals.