The Panthers signed running back Miles Sanders to a $25 million deal this offseason. Halfway through his debut in Carolina, however, the former Eagles Pro Bowler has been demoted indefinitely, with Panthers coach Frank Reich telling reporters Friday that Chuba Hubbard will remain the team's lead ball-carrier going into Week 9 against the Colts.
Sanders will be part of the rotation, Reich said, and could see an increased role as the season progresses. But Hubbard will be the official starter for the third straight week when the Panthers take the field Sunday. The latter, who's in his third season with the team, has totaled at least 16 touches in three of Carolina's last four games, and he leads the club with 270 rushing yards.
Sanders, meanwhile, logged just two carries in the Panthers' Week 8 win over the Texans, a week after he got a season-low seven touches against the Lions. Averaging just 3.0 yards per carry on the year, he's battled a multitude of injuries along the way, including groin, shoulder and calf issues that initially forced Hubbard into a larger role. The 26-year-old Penn State product was far more productive in his final season with Philadelphia, running for a career-high 1,269 yards and 11 scores during the Eagles' title bid.
Hubbard hasn't necessarily been a massive upgrade in terms of production, averaging 3.9 yards per carry and 5.7 yards per catch, but he appears to have more of the coaching staff's trust. Reich specifically indicated after Week 8's win that Sanders had run the wrong route on an improbable catch by receiver Adam Thielen. It remains to be seen how much action Sanders will get against Indianapolis, with second-year reserve Raheem Blackshear also available in Carolina's backfield.
