Panthers face a must-win Week 5 trip to Miami with a reshaped backfield. Chuba Hubbard is out, so Rico Dowdle carries the early workload, backed by Trevor Etienne and Deejay Dallas. Tremble and Mitchell Evans handle tight end duties, while Corey Thornton could earn slot time with Chau Smith-Wade inactive. Tyreek Hill’s season-ending injury shifts Miami’s targets, elevating other pass-catchers for Carolina’s fantasy plans.

Miami’s inactives thin the depth behind Cedrick Wilson Jr. and the rest, which could push more volume toward secondary options. Panthers fans and fantasy managers will watch Dowdle’s usage, Etienne’s involvement in all phases, and the TE duo as potential DFS or league-long values in a game that could hinge on who seizes the thin workload.

Miami’s Week 5 inactives keep De’Von Achane and Ollie Gordon II as the backfield anchors, with Jaylen Wright sidelined again and Tyreek Hill on IR. Tahj Washington will be active for his first NFL game as the emergency QB, while Zeek Biggers, Storm Duck, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. sit. Ethan Bonner returns to the lineup. Panthers list Chuba Hubbard, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tershawn Wharton, Chau Smith-Wade, Jaden Crumedy, and Clauden Cherelus as inactive. Fantasy note: Washington’s debut adds a floor-upside element for Miami while backfield shares tighten with limited RB depth, and the Panthers’ inactives hint at defensive or positional matchups to exploit.

In Miami, durability and a high-stakes 2026 draft plot twist could reshape the Dolphins’ QB future. Arch Manning emerges as a hypothetical No. 1 pick target, with Quinn Ewers as a plausible, patient backup if the season spirals. A Texas-sized narrative unfolds: a talented rookie era could hinge on a slide in the Dolphins’ fortunes, and fantasy gamers should watch how draft order and injury risk steer quarterback depth in 2025 and beyond.