The Carolina Panthers have a welcome dilemma in their backfield. Chuba Hubbard has returned after missing two games with a calf injury, and during his absence, Rico Dowdle impressed fans with standout performances. Now, with both running backs playing at a high level, team leader Derrick Brown has stepped in to address the growing buzz around who should start.

On Thursday, Brown made sure fans weren’t reading too much into the so-called “running back battle.” “Obviously, Rico’s had success his last few weeks, and this whole thing about which one or this or that, it’s BS,” Brown said.

“We got two great running backs, and we got a one-two punch. Everybody better stop worrying about which one, but for how long can they go. That’s the question,” Brown added. Dowdle’s play made it impossible to ignore.

Back-to-back games over 200 total yards. Against the Dallas Cowboys, he had 183 rushing yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry, and 56 receiving yards with a touchdown. The week before?

Another big performance. He had 23 carries for 206 yards and scored 1 touchdown against the Miami Dolphins.

And Hubbard’s return now adds more firepower to the offense. The 26-year-old missed two key games. While Dowdle filled in flawlessly, Hubbard remains a crucial part of the team.

So, with Week 7 around the corner, now the question is how Carolina plans to use both shining stars. However, Derrick Brown made clear, nobody’s backing off anymore.

Rico Dowdle sees positives in this situation

While the backfield noise grows louder, Rico Dowdle isn’t sweating it. For him, competition only makes the Carolina Panthers’ ground game stronger.

“All that stuff is left up to the coach, and then the only thing we can control is going out there and producing at a high level,” Dowdle said. “That’s all we really have to control. We are pretty close, and there’s no hard feelings either way.”

Still, Dowdle understands what’s coming next. With Chuba Hubbard back, touches will be split again, but he sees it as a positive.

“I wouldn’t say it’s weird, you know, when you go out there and perform and have two good games like this,” Dowdle said. “Of course, it’s going to be the question, but like I said, it’s all up to the coaches about what goes on here. [Chuba’s] got his contract and things like that, and it’s been his team from the jump, so you got to just take all that into account, for sure.”

Meanwhile, Hubbard’s will take some time to settle in after the injury. Currently in year one of his four-year, $33.2 million deal, Hubbard already showed glimpses. He had 217 rushing yards and two touchdowns through four games.

And with Carolina sitting 3-3 and ranked fourth in rushing, they want to recreate last year’s magic. Last season, Hubbard went for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Dowdle added 1,079 and 5 touchdowns. Perhaps Dowdle is correct, and the Panthers should stick with the “two-headed monster” approach to keep winning.