Jonathon Brooks

Panthers HC Dave Canales said Jonathon Brooks is expected to make his pro debut in Week 12 against the Chiefs.

It’s been a long time coming for Brooks, who was the first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Panthers activated Brooks from the reserve/NFI list on November 6th but opted not to play him in Week 10. He had an extra week to recover during the team’s Week 11 bye, but is now expected to be active for Week 12’s game against the Chiefs. Brooks will eat into Chuba Hubbard’s workload going forward, but it’s hard to know how much of a dent he’ll make early on. Hubbard is fresh off signing a four-year contract extension with the Panthers, an indication that they still plan to utilize him at a high rate in the coming years. Fantasy managers who have stashed Brooks all season will soon be rewarded for their patience, but he’s best left on fantasy benches until we get a better sense on how the team plans to use him.