The Carolina Panthers drafted running back Trevor Etienne in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft (114th overall). It will be interesting to see how he will be in the mix for Carolina in the backfield during the 2025 NFL season.
There is a chance that he could be in the rotation at running back for the Panthers. Is there a chance that he could be a reliable fantasy option for Carolina down the road? It remains to be seen.
Pro Football Focus Thinks That Carolina Panthers Running Back Trevor Etienne Could Be a Dark Horse Fantasy Guy In 2025 and Beyond
“The Panthers extended running back Chuba Hubbard on a four-year, 33.4 million deal merely seven months ago, locking him in as the team’s starter for the foreseeable future. Long-term contracts for breakout running backs are far from foolproof, though.
Carolina’s front office has a new leader since the team signed Miles Sanders, who also was fresh off a career year, to a four-year, $25.4 million contract in 2023 before releasing him this past offseason, but it’s a reminder — one that perhaps hits too close to home — that backfields are volatile.
As noted by PFF lead fantasy analyst Nathan Jahnke, Etienne brings a similar skillset to the running backs ahead of him on the Panthers’ depth chart (Rico Dowdle and Hubbard), giving him a stellar opportunity to overtake at least Dowdle. He has third-down potential after hauling in 32 of a possible 33 passes in 2024 at Georgia, and his run-game promise is evident in his 3.9 yards after contact per carry over the past three seasons — the sixth-best rate among 2025 draft-eligible Power Five running backs.
If not in 2025, Etienne is poised to climb the Panthers’ running back depth chart in 2026.”
For now, he will be third on the Panthers depth chart, but there is a good chance that Etienne will get a lot of looks during training camp and in preseason game action as well. Carolina finished with a 5-12 record last season, but they are looking to take a leap in 2025 under second-year head coach Dave Canales.
There is also a chance that Hubbard, Dowdle, and Etienne could become a running back by committee system for the Panthers in 2025 despite paying Hubbard a contract extension. Etienne maybe a running back who will not show flashes right away in the regular season, but he could be a waiver wire pick up later in the 2025 season for this football team.
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