Panthers RB Miles Sanders out for Week 6 with shoulder injury, Chuba Hubbard in line to start vs. Dolphins

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders did not practice all week with a shoulder injury, and has now been ruled out for Carolina’s Week 6 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. This is good news for Chuba Hubbard, who is in line for the bulk of the carries this week, according to head coach Frank Reich.

While Sanders signed one of the richest running back deals in free agency this offseason at four years, $25 million, it’s Hubbard who has actually received more rushing attempts from Reich over the last two weeks. He rushed nine times for 35 yards last week in the loss to the Detroit Lions, and 14 times for 41 yards against the Minnesota Vikings.

Sanders is still Carolina’s leading rusher on the season with 190 yards on 61 carries and has the Panthers’ lone rushing touchdown, but he has not been the bell cow some envisioned he would be when he signed with Carolina. Hubbard averages 4.4 yards per rush while Sanders averages a team-worst 3.1 yards per rush.

Hubbard was one of CBS Sports Fantasy Football expert Chris Towers’ early waiver wire targets this week, and he could not have been more correct. To read some other Fantasy free-agent targets, check out his column here.