Jonathon Brooks Fantasy Stats

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that the timeline for running back Jonathon Brooks (abdomen, groin) to return after undergoing core-muscle surgery is six to eight weeks, per Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Per Reed, Canales said that the return timeline with or without the surgery "would have been about the same," prompting the team to take the surgical route. It's the latest in a long line of injury setbacks for Brooks, who has appeared in just five games since Carolina selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Across two games in 2026 before getting injured, the 23-year-old recorded nine carries for 30 yards and two catches for 43 yards on three targets. With Brooks sidelined, Panthers RB1 Chuba Hubbard could take on an even larger share of the team's backfield work. Carolina also hosted veteran running back Austin Ekeler for a workout on Wednesday, but no deal between the two parties has been announced yet.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (core) is set to undergo core muscle surgery, which will place him on the injured reserve. Per Rapoport, the young running back is expected to miss at least six weeks, but should be able to contribute down the stretch. This is a tough blow for Brooks, who has dealt with many serious injuries throughout his career. He joined the Panthers in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft but has appeared in only five regular-season games in his career, two of them being this season. In Week 1, Brooks took only four carries but made a splash in the receiving game, catching one pass for 48 yards. In Week 2, Brooks took only five carries before exiting early. With Brooks now in line to miss nearly half of the season, Chuba Hubbard should operate as the clear workhorse and carry weekly RB2 upside given his projected workload.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) is now considered week-to-week while he gets second opinions on his groin injury, a source told Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. Brooks first injured his groin in training camp and then tweaked it again in the Week 2 win over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The 23-year-old had four carries for 14 yards and caught one of his two targets for a 48-yard pickup in the Week 1 loss to the Carolina Panthers, and carried the ball five times for 16 yards with one catch for a loss of five yards in Week 2 before being pulled. The former second-rounder from Texas has already suffered two torn ACLs in his short time in the NFL, and he just has not been able to stay healthy. If he is forced to miss any time, starting in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns, Chuba Hubbard will become a must-start in fantasy football. AJ Dillon would likely become the RB2 for Carolina behind Hubbard. Fantasy managers who took Brooks as a sleeper to eventually take over the Panthers' backfield in 2026 have to be disappointed with the start he has had through two games.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) is undergoing further testing Monday, according to Nick Carboni. Brooks aggravated the same groin injury that sidelined him late in training camp during Sunday's 34-3 win over Atlanta. Head coach Dave Canales called him day-to-day after the game and said the team would have more information as the week went on. Brooks finished with five carries for 16 yards and one catch for minus-five yards before leaving in the fourth quarter. Carolina has not given a timetable for his return, so his status for Sunday's Week 3 game at Cleveland remains up in the air.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) is considered day-to-day per head coach Dave Canales, The Athletic's Joe Person reported via the X platform on Sunday. Brooks, who sustained the injury during training camp, had five carries for 16 yards before signaling for a trainer and exiting Sunday's 34-3 win against the Atlanta Falcons. Fellow back Chuba Hubbard did the heavy lifting for Carolina's ground attack in the victory, logging 12 carries for 53 yards. Brooks had just four carries for 14 yards in Week 1 and has yet to score a touchdown in 2026.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against Atlanta. According to Mike Kaye, Brooks signaled for a trainer immediately after his last carry before walking to the tunnel with three staff members. The Panthers have since announced that he is dealing with a groin injury. Brooks had five carries for 16 yards before leaving the game. Chuba Hubbard had already handled most of the backfield work, rushing 12 times for 53 yards, and would remain the clear lead option if Brooks can't return. AJ Dillon is next behind them on Carolina's depth chart.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks will look for an expanded role in Sunday's Week 2 matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons. Brooks' usage was down in last Sunday's 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears. The 23-year-old rushed for 14 yards on four carries and caught one of two targets for 48 yards. He was out-touched by backfield teammate Chuba Hubbard, 13 to five, and had 13 offensive snaps compared to Hubbard's 48. He missed all of last season with a torn ACL and has only logged four games over his three-year career. Brooks should be more involved in Week 2 but is set to back up Hubbard again versus the Falcons. He comes in as RotoBaller's RB44, making him a FLEX play option at best in most leagues for Week 2.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks played a clear backup role behind Chuba Hubbard in a 59-37 Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears. Brooks did have a highlight play on a 48-yard reception from quarterback Bryce Young, but he carried the ball just four times for 14 yards. Meanwhile, Hubbard recorded 10 carries for 49 yards and a rushing touchdown, in addition to three receptions for 38 yards and a receiving touchdown. According to Pro Football Focus, Brooks played just 13 offensive snaps compared to Hubbard's 48, which is a telling sign of the pecking order in Carolina's backfield. With that in mind, it was a high-scoring game that called for a lot of passing plays, and the Panthers had to play catch-up often. Brooks will have a Week 2 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, but as of right now, he shouldn't be viewed as more than a desperate flex option.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Sunday's Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Brooks was cleared to play after practicing throughout the week. According to Panthers head coach Dave Canales, he will face "no limitations" in reps. The 23-year-old missed all of last season with a torn ACL and has only logged three games over his two-year career. He will likely split carries with backfield teammate Chuba Hubbard (hamstring), who was also cleared after dealing with a hamstring injury since mid-August. Brooks will face a Bears defense that allowed 134.5 rushing yards per game, ranking 27th in the NFL last year. With a positive matchup, Brooks emerges as a FLEX option and is ranked 75th overall (RB32) for Week 1. Even with the split with Hubbard, Brooks should produce enough to be a solid option for fantasy managers in Week 1.

After fully participating in Friday's practice, Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (groin) has been cleared for Sunday's season opener against the Bears, and head coach Dave Canales says he will face "no limitations" in terms of rep count. Brooks missed the entirety of the 2025 season after tearing his ACL for the second time in December of 2024, but it was a groin issue that limited him to begin the week. With both injuries seemingly behind him, he will suit up for his first regular-season game in over 21 months, and he projects to split time with veteran Chuba Hubbard. The first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, Brooks has carried the ball only nine times in his professional career, but with neither he nor Hubbard carrying an injury designation into Sunday, Canales told reporters, "This is a tandem we've been thinking about for a very long time, and I'm excited to see those guys get out there and help our team." Still facing a difficult-to-predict Week 1 workload, Brooks is RotoBaller's RB32 for the week.