Jonathon Brooks

Jonathon Brooks enters 2026 as one of the most intriguing but risky fantasy football bets in the league. He missed all of 2025 after a second ACL tear in his right knee, but recent reports say he has been cleared by his surgeon, is working through the Panthers’ offseason program, and has been steadily hitting key milestones in camp.

The biggest fantasy takeaway is that Carolina has not backed away from him despite the injury history. He was back on the field for OTAs and later passed a major checkpoint with his first padded practice, which is a strong sign that the Panthers still view him as part of their offensive plans. At the same time, the team has handled his recovery cautiously, so expecting a full workload right away would be aggressive.

From a fantasy perspective, Brooks offers real upside because his talent profile is still appealing and Carolina has a path to touches if he stays healthy. The problem is obvious: two ACL repairs in a short span create a durability risk that should keep drafters from pricing him like a locked-in RB2. He looks best as a late-round swing at running back rather than someone to build around, especially in redraft formats.

The smart 2026 approach is to treat Brooks as a high-upside stash with a wide range of outcomes. If he stays active and the knee responds well, he could become a difference-maker down the stretch, but the more realistic early-season expectation is a managed role while the Panthers monitor his workload. Draft him for upside, not certainty, and be ready for some week-to-week volatility.