Chuba Hubbard start or sit: Week 7 fantasy football advice

Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season is already upon us and the action will continue on Sunday with the Carolina Panthers visiting the New York Jets at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.

The Panthers have won three of their last four games heading into this showdown and were able to clip the Cowboys with a last-second field goal for a 30-27 victory on Sunday. Running back Chuba Hubbard is set to return this week, but his role may be different when he steps onto the field at MetLife Stadium.

Below, we’ll go over Hubbard’s outlook in fantasy football for Week 7.

Hubbard has been sidelined for the last two weeks with a calf injury and will return to action against the Jets on Sunday. The fifth-year veteran was solidly a top-20 fantasy tailback prior to his injury, recording 311 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns through four weeks. A player with his production would normally have the green light to re-enter the starting lineup for managers, but there is a slight dilemma here.

That dilemma is the fact that backup running back Rico Dowdle has set the world on fire in his absence. Dowdle has been a monster for the past two weeks, combining for nearly 500 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns against the Dolphins and Cowboys. That has led to week-long speculation about who will be getting the bulk of the carries for the Panthers moving forward, something Hubbard, Dowdle, and head coach Dave Canales have downplayed this week. We’ll find out on Sunday.

Start. Hubbard? Dowdle? Why not both? We’ve seen plenty of two-head monster combos thrive out of the backfield and the Panthers may have stumbled into one as he near the midway point of the regular season. Feeding both guys could be the thing that elevates the team into an actual playoff contender and they have a chance to be above .500 following Week 7 for the first time since 2019. Hubbard managers shouldn’t worry about Dowdle. Give him the nod.

Start.