Through four games in 2025, the Carolina Panthers are 1-3. The team is coming off a 42-13 loss in Week 4 to the New England Patriots. For Week 5, the Panthers are at home to face the Miami Dolphins.
In their matchup for this Sunday, Carolina will be without starting RB Chuba Hubbard. The 26-year-old has been ruled out due to a calf injury. Panthers’ backup Rico Dowdle will get the start in Week 5 vs. Miami. Chuba Hubbard had been limited at practice on Wednesday and Thursday before being ruled out on Friday afternoon.
Carolina will be without RB Chuba Hubbard in Week 5
Panthers officially ruled out RB Chuba Hubbard for Sunday’s game versus the Dolphins due to his calf injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 3, 2025
With a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the Panthers selected Chuba Hubbard out of Oklahoma State. The 2025 season is his fifth year with the Panthers. Hubbard has appeared in 68 games and made 43 starts. He’s been a full-time starter in each of his last two seasons. Last November, Carolina signed Chuba Hubbard to a three-year, $33.2 million extension. That came with $15 million guarenteed. During his 2024 campaign, Hubbard rushed for 1,195 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He added 43 catches for 171 yards and one receiving touchdown.
Through four games in 2025, Chuba Hubbard is off to a slow start for the Panthers. In 2024, he averaged a career-high 79.7 yards per game. That number has dropped to 54.3 yards per game in 2025. In four starts this season, Hubbard has carried the ball 53 times for 217 yards. On Friday, October 3, NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Chuba Hubbard will not play in Week 5. He is dealing with a calf injury.
#Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard, who has been dealing with a calf injury the last couple of weeks and hasn’t practiced this week, is expected to miss Sunday’s game against the #Dolphins, per me and @MikeGarafolo. Rico Dowdle is the team’s backup. pic.twitter.com/alRA3uQaQV
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 3, 2025
While Chuba Hubbard is out in Week 5, the Panthers will turn to backup Rico Dowdle. He signed a one-year, $3 million deal with Carolina. His deal is worth $6.5 million if he reaches incentives. The 27-year-old RB is in his fifth professional season. Dowdle was the starting RB for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. He played in 16 of their 17 games and made 15 starts. The former undrafted player rushed for a career-high 1,079 rushing yards.
Along with Rico Dowdle, the Panthers also have rookie RB Trevor Etienne out of Georgia. He is the younger brother of Jaguars RB Travis Etienne. The former Georgia Bulldog was selected in the fourth round by Carolina. Etienne has eight carries in 2025 for 37 yards. He’s mostly been used as a return specialist for the Panthers. Trevor Etienne could see more playing time in Week 5 while Chuba Hubbard is out.