Despite tearing his ACL in November, the Carolina Panthers made Jonathon Brooks the first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft class. Widely considered the best prospect at his position when healthy, the Texas product recorded 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns to go along with 25 receptions for 286 yards during his 11 healthy games.
After a disastrous 2023 season that saw the team finish with the worst record in football, the Carolina Panthers brought in Dave Canales to try and fix the franchise and save 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young. Canales helped revive the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield, and he plans on using the power of the run game to revive Carolina. Specifically, he wants the Panthers to run their offense through Jonathon Brooks.
Dave Canales to Jonathon Brooks: "The intent of our offense is to run the ball."
— Joe Person (@josephperson) May 10, 2024
Dave Canales: Panthers Offense Will Run the Ball With Jonathon Brooks
Canales’ Tendencies
Dave Canales says he wants to run the ball, but actions speak louder than words. The offseason is filled with lies, and you don’t need to go back too far to find evidence. After all, at this point last year, Terrace Marshall was the best receiver on the Panthers.
However, history backs up Canales’ claims. According to rbsdm.com, the 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a -1% pass rate under expectation, which means they ran the ball more than you’d expect based on their in-game situations.
While this doesn’t sound like a lot, it’s worth noting that last year’s Buccaneers had one of the worst rushing attacks in football. Tampa Bay finished the year ranked 27th in rushing EPA/play while averaging a paltry 3.4 yards per carry. If Canales ran the ball that frequently despite terrible results, he should be willing to build the Panthers offense around Jonathon Brooks.
Of course, Jonathon Brooks needs to get healthy before becoming the focal point of the Panthers offense. Even if he is healthy, will he be able to beat out the competition?
Jonathon Brooks Fantasy Football Outlook With Panthers
As of this posting, Jonathon Brooks is not cleared for football activities but plans to be back in time for Panthers training camp. Again, it’s the offseason, so you should take this with a grain of salt, but the running back says he’s “on pace” with his recovery. Week 1 of the regular season will be roughly nine months after his original injury, which fits the rough timeline for a typical ACL recovery. While he might need some time to knock off the rust, he should be back to full strength by midseason at the latest.
Once Jonathon Brooks is healthy, he should easily win the starting job for the Panthers. Miles Sanders crashed and burned during his first year with the club, Chuba Hubbard is nothing more than a league-average journeyman, and Rashaad Penny did nothing last year with the Eagles. Brooks has star potential, and Rachaad White’s 336 combined touches from 2023 show that Canales has no issue using a workhorse back.
This projected usage combined with the Panthers offensive line improvements means Jonathon Brooks could be a star in the back half of the season. While Carolina’s offense might have trouble finding the endzone, the volume will be there. Brooks is easily the top rookie running back in dynasty formats and is a worthwhile mid-round pick for those already dipping their toes in redraft and bestball leagues.
Main Photo: Ricardo Brazziel – USA Today Sports
