Should I Pick Up Chuba Hubbard For Fantasy Football Week 17? Waiver Wire Outlook

With Week 17 serving as "Championship Week" for most fantasy leagues, every decision made this week is a crucial one.

After a start to the 2022 season that got Matt Rhule fired, the Carolina Panthers have surprisingly won three of their last four. Running back Chuba Hubbard has been a key component of the team's recent success.

What has Hubbard done lately? Should you pick him up in fantasy leagues ahead of Week 17?

• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings
• Kicker fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• IDP fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

What Has Chuba Hubbard Done Lately?

The Carolina Panthers and Chuba Hubbard were left for dead months ago by many experts. However, the Panthers and Hubbard have experienced some surprising recent success.

Though he's still sharing the load with fellow Panthers' RB D'Onta Foreman, Hubbard has thrived in Carolina's run-heavy offensive attack. The second-year back put forth his best rushing effort of 2022 in a Week 16 upset of the Detroit Lions, gaining 125 yards on 12 carries. Hubbard has now recorded 65 or more total yards in four straight games.

Should I Pick Up Chuba Hubbard Off the Waiver Wire In Week 17?

Carolina's interim head coach Steve Wilks has not been shy about deploying a run-first offensive attack. The Panthers logged a franchise record 320 rushing yards in Week 16's upset of the Detroit Lions.

Thanks to the squad's run-first philosophy, there has been plenty of work to go around for both Foreman and Hubbard, with Foreman handling most of the early-down work and Hubbard mixing in for carries and also handling the pass-down role.

That said, committee situations can be tricky for fantasy managers - especially ones that will be battling it out for league championships in Week 17. Hubbard must face a Tampa Bay Bucs front that's been terrific against the run in recent years and stands 12th in Rush Defense DVOA in 2022.

With Carolina currently running the ball at will and at a high rate, Hubbard can be considered a FLEX option this week against the Bucs, though his upside is somewhat capped as long as Foreman remains in the picture.

More Fantasy Football Analysis