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Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks was the first ball carrier off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft. In fact, he was the only RB taken inside the first two rounds. These facts automatically make him an intriguing fantasy football asset, but he has not yet taken the field for his NFL debut.
The 21-year-old suffered an ACL tear in November of 2023, so he was originally expected to miss the start of his rookie year. However, fantasy managers struggling at running back and stashing Brooks are surely wondering when he will get back in action.
When is Brooks going to make his NFL debut? We have the latest update on his status.
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Jonathon Brooks Injury Update for Fantasy Football
On Wednesday, Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Brooks is in the "final stages" of returning to play. This is fantastic news, as Brooks can come off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list following Carolina's Week 4 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. Starting the year on the PUP list requires players to sit out at least four games, but he can be designated to return as early as Monday, Sept. 30.
Jonathan Brooks, DJ Wonnum, Dane Jackson, and Amare Barno are in the final stages in returning to play, per Dave Canales.
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) September 25, 2024
That said, he has at least an outside shot of suiting up for the Week 5 game against the Chicago Bears.
Jonathon Brooks Fantasy Football Outlook
When Brooks returns to football, there's a real chance the organization will ease him into action, especially since the team does not appear to be anything close to a contender in the strong NFC South. However, veteran quarterback Andy Dalton brought a spark to the Carolina offense in Week 3, so even if Brooks begins his career in a committee, he could be at least a deep flex consideration.
Speedin' @2brookss ⚡️💨
📺: @FS1 pic.twitter.com/ol7azo20ro
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) November 19, 2022
Chuba Hubbard has flashed at times, but he's not the long-term answer at running back, and Miles Sanders has struggled mightily since leaving the Philadelphia Eagles organization.
The Panthers drafted Brooks early for a reason, so we should expect him to eventually gain a workhorse role. Hopefully, that comes later this season, but either way, he's worth continuing to stash in your IR spot, and he should be picked up in any leagues where he is available.
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