Week 14 Fantasy Football Running Back Waiver Adds: Chuba Hubbard, Kyle Monangai and More

The fantasy football season is rapidly coming to an end, but we still have a solid slate of running back waiver wire options heading into Week 14. 

This is even more impressive given that — despite a scare or two — no starting running backs suffered a major injury in Week 13. Instead, we've got some backfield turnover without injuries, plus a few overlooked RB1s who should already be more widely rostered. Let's dive right in. 

Check out fantasy football waiver wire targets all season on FantasySP. 

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers (58.9% Rostered)

Hubbard started the season as the Panthers' RB1 and bellcow. But he suffered a calf injury midway through the season, and Rico Dowdle stole his job (eventually, anyway) with a few absolutely massive performances. However, Dowdle has slowed down of late. Apparently, that, plus potentially getting closer to fully healthy, has opened the door for Hubbard to reclaim ground in the Panthers' backfield. 

In Carolina's surprising win over the Rams on Sunday, Hubbard led their backfield in snap share (58%). He saw just one fewer carry than Dowdle, 17 to 18, and ran 13 routes to his partner's five. They both saw two targets, good for a 10% share on a low-volume day for Bryce Young.

Importantly, Hubbard was also far more efficient than Dowdle. Despite having one fewer carry, he finished with 83 yards to Dowdle's 58. Add 41 yards on his two targets, and Hubbard averaged an excellent 6.5 yards per touch. 

It will be interesting to see how the Panthers split their backfield going forward. But Carolina's offense actually has the highest run rate over expected in the league, so there may be enough carries for both backs to see real volume (especially if the team as a whole can remain competitive).

Given that Hubbard is trending up while Dowdle trends down, he should be added everywhere in case he can reclaim the 1A role in this offense. Even if he doesn't, he could have flex value.  

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears (59.5% Rostered)

Speaking of run-heavy offenses that can support two fantasy-relevant running backs, we have the Chicago Bears. In their Friday game against the Eagles, Ben Johnson dialed up a whopping 40 carries for his two running backs. The majority of those looks (22) went to Monangai, who has now outcarried D'Andre Swift in each of the last two weeks.

Monangai is still probably the 1B to Swift's 1A: the veteran led the rookie in snap share (53%-45%) and route rate (48%-23%) this week. But that split is close, and it has trended toward the younger player — as these things tend to do — as the season has gone on.

Monangai is like Hubbard in that he is already a playable flex with this usage but could be more if he can continue expanding his share of the pie. 

Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints (52.7% Rostered)

The Saints had their first game without Alvin Kamara on Sunday, and Neal was a legit workhorse. He played 81% of New Orleans' offensive snaps, handled 14 of 20 backfield carries (including just one for Taysom Hill) and saw three targets on a 69% route participation rate. 

Neal wasn't hugely efficient on a day where the Saints' entire offense struggled, finishing with just 8.4 half-PPR points. But scoring 8.4 even on a bad day is exactly the power of a role like this.

As long as Kamara is missing time, the rookie out of Kansas needs to be rostered in all leagues.

Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals (30.9% Rostered)

One of the axioms I always try to live by in fantasy football is that every NFL RB1 should be on fantasy rosters. Generally, most players follow this rule (look at Neal jumping from below 5% to above 50% rostered in one week after Kamara went down). But Knight, despite having been the Cardinals' RB1 for over a month at this point, is still available in over two-thirds of leagues.

Once again, Knight led the Cardinals' backfield on Sunday. He didn't lead in snaps, playing 48% to Michael Carter's 53%; Carter was the team's primary passing-down back, also leading in route rate (38%-29%) and targets (5-3). But Knight was the lead rusher with 11 attempts to Carter's five. And he turned one of those three targets into a receiving TD, which made up a solid chunk of his final 16.3 half-PPR points. 

Right now, Knight is the Cardinals' RB1, and this offense has been decent under Jacoby Brissett. Things could change when Trey Benson returns, but it's unclear when that will be. The sophomore may have even suffered a setback in his injury recovery, not practicing at all on Thursday or Friday of last week after being a limited participant on Wednesday.

With Benson's status up in the air, Knight should be added and can be started as the Cardinals' primary ball-carrier.

Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (25.9% Rostered)

Rodriguez joins Knight in the category of “RB1s who deserve more respect.” He first took over as the Commanders' RB1 in Week 11 before their Week 12 bye, and he picked up where he left off in Week 13. 

While he didn't lead the RB room in snaps (that honor went to passing-down back Jeremy McNichols), Rodriguez was the clear leader with 11 carries for a 52% RB rush share. He also wasn't a complete non-factor in the receiving game, with one target on 15 routes. Thanks to an eight-yard rush TD, he finished with a solid 10.1 half-PPR points.

With all that said, Rodriguez might be the rare NFL RB1 who isn't a complete must-roster. He has been the Commanders' RB1 for the last two weeks, but he is still averaging just a 44% snap share and a 53% rush share in that time. This is the same role that Jacory Croskey-Merritt had for most of the season, and he was rarely a useful fantasy option. 

In shallow leagues or if you have a stacked RB room, leaving Rodriguez on waivers might actually be fine. But in most formats, he should still be added, even if he isn't the most inspiring option — guys getting 10+ carries a game on decent offenses don't grow on trees.

Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams (17% Rostered)

We were very close to Corum being the headline option for this article, as Kyren Williams briefly exited the game on Sunday with an ankle injury. However, Kyren returned and finished the game … but not before Corum racked up 81 yards and a TD on just seven carries.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think Corum is coming for Williams' job. But this week's scare for Williams' managers was just a reminder that this is the time of year when stashing handcuffs of all shapes and sizes is the best way to add upside to your fantasy football roster. 

If Williams were to miss time for any reason, Corum would be a legit must-start as the bellcow on one of the league's best offenses. He should be rostered in far more than 17% of leagues, even if Williams is good to go (which he appears to be).