Latest news with #RicoDowdle
NBC Sports
5 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Rico Dowdle fantasy football preview 2025: Stats, season outlook, predictions
Rotoworld Staff, Rico Dowdle 2025 Fantasy Preview 2024: Attempting to move on from the Tony Pollard era, the Cowboys were reluctant to fully commit to Dowdle as their lead back. That finally changed in the team's six games after Thanksgiving, where Dowdle piled up 133 of his 274 touches. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry during that season-closing timespan. For the year, Dowdle was reasonably efficient. He caught 39 total passes. What's changed: For whatever reason, the Cowboys didn't want Dowdle back, opting for an even more tortured four-man pileup. Failing to secure a starting opportunity in free agency, Dowdle had to settle for No. 2 duties in Carolina, where Trevor Etienne was added in the fourth round one month later. Outlook: With Chuba Hubbard the overwhelming favorite for early-down touches, Dowdle finds himself competing with Etienne for change-of-pace work. None of the three are elite pass-catching backs, but that role is Dowdle's most obvious path to standalone value. Dowdle is a shaky late-round pick whose contingency value is probably best left on wires to begin the year. Get personalized fantasy football insights based on your league settings with FantasyLife+. Your league is unique, your advice should be too. Head to and use code ROTO20 for 20% off. **Projections from Spotlight Sports Group Go to: All players | QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Chuba Hubbard could see a fantasy dip this season
Yahoo Fantasy's Matt Harmon and Justin Boone look at the questions surrounding the Panthers backfield given the addition of Rico Dowdle. Hear the full conversation on the 'Yahoo Fantasy Forecast' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript Chuba Hubbard, now Hubbard had a great season last year. I think this is one where we could start to poke some holes in because he wasn't that efficient as a pass catcher last season. But you know who was efficient as a pass catcher last year? Rico Dowdle, who the team went out and added, and there has been some comments from the coaching staff that this could potentially be more of a committee backfield where they use Rico Dowdle this season in that role. Potentially. So I think that's a scenario where maybe Chuba Hubbard gives up a little bit of the passing. That bumps him down. And yet you and I talked recently on the show about the fact that the Panthers have a very nice run out at the start of the season, and I think Chuba Hubbard, for what he maybe will lose in the passing game, he could make up for it with this offense, just generally being better, being in scoring position more often. Um, so for him there's some question marks there about maybe other guys getting more involved, but in general, I think he's probably going to be OK, but more as an RB2 as those occasional spike Darby one weeks. Yeah, I mean, Chuba Hubbard last year, 12th among running backs in target shares, so he was used in the passing game. Um, the Trevor ETN, the 4th round running back that they took, you know, he could, he was like a theory, oh, maybe that he could take some pass catching work, didn't look really ready to play in the preseason, uh, it was not, not, not a lot of highlight moments for him, um, but 68.7% total snaps for Chuba Hubbard last year and he obviously missed time too, so, uh, he didn't play a full, full season. He has a lot of room to give up some snaps and still be very useful for fantasy football. So I, I found myself kind of willing to bet on Chuba Hubbard, just cause I, I do find myself to be a little high on this Panthers offense in general. So, I have Camara and Hubbard, the highest ranked among this group, thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth overall. Close
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Panthers RB Rico Dowdle looks to prove he's worthy of being NFL starter after leaving Cowboys
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers weren't necessary looking to add a starting-caliber running back in free agency after giving Chuba Hubbard a four-year, $33 million contract extension last November. They found one anyway. Coach Dave Canales said he's been "ecstatic" since the Panthers signed Rico Dowdle in March, giving the team added depth in the backfield with a second 1,000-yard rusher. In so doing, they've added a highly motivated player who's eager to prove that he's still worthy of being a No. 1 back — and being paid like one — after the Dallas Cowboys opted not to re-sign him. 'I definitely thought I would have had the opportunity to get a shot with the ones this year, but it didn't come down to that,' Dowdle said of his time on the free-agent market. Some running back-needy teams opted for the draft to fill their needs rather than sign the 27-year-old Dowdle. So he chose to bet on himself, agreeing to a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Panthers that could pay him up to $6 million with performance incentives. Dowdle hopes that if all goes well he can parlay his success into a big contract next spring. In the meantime, he felt Carolina, with an improving offensive line led by highly paid guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, was the best fit for him. It also afforded him the opportunity to return to the Carolinas where he played high school football in Asheville, North Carolina, and college ball at South Carolina. 'Great to be home,' he said with a smile. Despite rushing for 1,079 yards and averaging 4.6 yards per carry and catching 39 passes for 249 yards and totaling five TDs in his first year as a starter, the Cowboys didn't express much interest in re-signing Dowdle despite a late-season surge that included three straight 100-yard rushing games. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones instead drafted Jaydon Blue from Texas in the fifth round and signed veteran free agents Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, who was Hubbard's backup last season. 'To have two 1,000-yard backs in the same room and guys with experience, guys who can really do it all — can pass protect really well, catch the ball out of the backfield, I mean I was ecstatic," Canales said. "When we were kind of working through things (in free agency) and it starting looking like we were going to have a chance to get this guy, I couldn't have been more excited." Hubbard remains the starter in Carolina, coming off a career-high 1,195 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns in 2024 — despite sitting out the final two games. But Canales sees a role for the 5-foot-11, 215-pound Dowdle, although he was sparse on the details. Dowdle could have to compete for reps with fourth-round draft pick Trevor Etienne from Georgia, who has looked strong and fast in training camp. Carolina selected Texas' Jonathon Brooks in the second round in 2024, but he'll miss the entire season after reinjuring his ACL as a rookie. 'He's exactly what we're looking for out of our running backs,' Canales said of Dowdle. 'Our backs, they run the runs exactly the way they're supposed to be run — with discipline. And once they get past that first level they run with violence. (Dowdle) does those things.' Dowdle would love to parlay a big season into a big paycheck. But for now he said he's here to help the Panthers win. He's in a familiar position, having to prove himself all over — just as he had to do coming into the league as an undrafted rookie in 2020. 'Coming from the position of being undrafted and obviously having to make the roster every, every year, I always feel like I got something to prove," Dowdle said. 'And I will have something to prove until I get to where I wanna go.' Browns to visit The Panthers practiced Tuesday in a downpour and more rain is in the forecast for Wednesday's joint practice with the Cleveland Browns. Despite the weather, Canales said he expects practices to go on as expected with plenty of full-contact drills and live hitting. ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Panthers RB Rico Dowdle looks to prove he's worthy of being NFL starter after leaving Cowboys
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers weren't necessary looking to add a starting-caliber running back in free agency after giving Chuba Hubbard a four-year, $33 million contract extension last November. They found one anyway. Coach Dave Canales said he's been 'ecstatic' since the Panthers signed Rico Dowdle in March, giving the team added depth in the backfield with a second 1,000-yard rusher. In so doing, they've added a highly motivated player who's eager to prove that he's still worthy of being a No. 1 back — and being paid like one — after the Dallas Cowboys opted not to re-sign him. 'I definitely thought I would have had the opportunity to get a shot with the ones this year, but it didn't come down to that,' Dowdle said of his time on the free-agent market. Some running back-needy teams opted for the draft to fill their needs rather than sign the 27-year-old Dowdle. So he chose to bet on himself, agreeing to a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Panthers that could pay him up to $6 million with performance incentives. Dowdle hopes that if all goes well he can parlay his success into a big contract next spring. In the meantime, he felt Carolina, with an improving offensive line led by highly paid guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, was the best fit for him. It also afforded him the opportunity to return to the Carolinas where he played high school football in Asheville, North Carolina, and college ball at South Carolina. 'Great to be home,' he said with a smile. Despite rushing for 1,079 yards and averaging 4.6 yards per carry and catching 39 passes for 249 yards and totaling five TDs in his first year as a starter, the Cowboys didn't express much interest in re-signing Dowdle despite a late-season surge that included three straight 100-yard rushing games. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones instead drafted Jaydon Blue from Texas in the fifth round and signed veteran free agents Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, who was Hubbard's backup last season. 'To have two 1,000-yard backs in the same room and guys with experience, guys who can really do it all — can pass protect really well, catch the ball out of the backfield, I mean I was ecstatic,' Canales said. 'When we were kind of working through things (in free agency) and it starting looking like we were going to have a chance to get this guy, I couldn't have been more excited.' Hubbard remains the starter in Carolina, coming off a career-high 1,195 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns in 2024 — despite sitting out the final two games. But Canales sees a role for the 5-foot-11, 215-pound Dowdle, although he was sparse on the details. Dowdle could have to compete for reps with fourth-round draft pick Trevor Etienne from Georgia, who has looked strong and fast in training camp. Carolina selected Texas' Jonathon Brooks in the second round in 2024, but he'll miss the entire season after reinjuring his ACL as a rookie. 'He's exactly what we're looking for out of our running backs,' Canales said of Dowdle. 'Our backs, they run the runs exactly the way they're supposed to be run — with discipline. And once they get past that first level they run with violence. (Dowdle) does those things.' Dowdle would love to parlay a big season into a big paycheck. But for now he said he's here to help the Panthers win. He's in a familiar position, having to prove himself all over — just as he had to do coming into the league as an undrafted rookie in 2020. 'Coming from the position of being undrafted and obviously having to make the roster every, every year, I always feel like I got something to prove,' Dowdle said. 'And I will have something to prove until I get to where I wanna go.' Browns to visit The Panthers practiced Tuesday in a downpour and more rain is in the forecast for Wednesday's joint practice with the Cleveland Browns. Despite the weather, Canales said he expects practices to go on as expected with plenty of full-contact drills and live hitting. ___ AP NFL:
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Can Cowboys profit after investing just $8 million, Day 3 pick in crucial position?
One of Dallas' biggest offseason roster questions was the direction of the Cowboys backfield. Dallas entered last season with fan favorite and franchise great Ezekiel Elliott as its No. 1 back, who returned to the team after playing in New England the year prior. Alongside the former rushing champion were veterans Rico Dowdle, Malik Davis, Hunter Luepke, Deuce Vaughn, and Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook. While Elliott opened the year as the starter, midway through, Dowdle cemented himself as the lead back and finished with a career high 1,079 yards rushing, while Elliott was granted his release in December. Fast forward to 2025, and with training camp swiftly approaching, Dallas finds itself in a similar position with its run game as it did a year ago, only this time, a wave of new faces enters the picture. Dowdle signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency, and the team signed veteran backs Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams to one-year deals in response. They then selected Texas RB Jaydon Blue in the fifth round, as well as Clemson back Phil Mafah in the seventh, leaving Vaughn and Luepke as the only returning players from 2024. Dowdle didn't sign for huge money, and the Cowboys have barely invested in the group since his departure, with the six players on the roster counting just $8 million towards the offseason salary cap. The lack of heavy investment leaves one burning question: Who will emerge as Dallas' lead back as the team gets deeper into the season? The holiday season is daunting; the Cowboys will play six consecutive games against teams that made the playoffs a year ago, including the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving, and second matchups against both the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders. The Cowboys waited until midseason to declare a RB1 last season. This is a stretch that will require Dallas to have its answer already in hand. It's easy to envision the coaching staff will rely on the experienced first. Following a 2022 Pro Bowl campaign with the Eagles, Sanders himself signed with the Panthers. The 2019 second-round pick wasn't able to replicate his 1,200-yard and 11-touchdown season, instead rushing for just 637 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games with the Panthers. The 28-year old will look to steer his career back in the right direction with a new beginning and has had clear support from head coach Brian Schottenheimer. "I don't know why anyone would be surprised by Miles' ability," Schottenheimer told reporters during the spring. "Having been in the division and playing against Miles when he was in Philadelphia, you talk about a guy that's a home run threat, a guy that's got incredible ability to hurt you running, catching out of the backfield, all that stuff." Meanwhile, Williams, who entered the league in 2021 as a second-round draft choice by the Broncos, has rushed for 2,394 yards and 11 touchdowns across four seasons in the Mile High. The challenge? He hasn't been able to build off his All-Rookie performance when he rushed for 903 yards and four touchdowns, including a 111-yard outing against the Cowboys that year. One silver lining with the former All-American back from North Carolina is his ability to play through the air. Last season, he set career highs in receptions (52) and receiving yards (346). While both figure to be in line for high reps early, the front office will certainly hope to have found gems in its pair of rookies, Blue and Mafah, as the regular season progresses. Blue is known for his blazing speed and clocked the second-fastest 40-yard-dash time (4.38s) at the combine. He rushed for 730 yards and eight touchdowns while also recording 42 receptions for 368 yards and six scores through the air. The rookie back is quick, agile, and can be a mismatch out of the backfield in the passing game. Mafah, a Third-Team All-ACC selection, finished his final season at Clemson rushing for 1,115 yards and found the end zone 21 times over the past two years. The 6-foot-1, 234-pound back is a powerful downhill runner known for his aggressive and physical play. Luepke remains a valuable option at fullback, while Vaughn, who has appeared in 14 games over his first two seasons, could be on his last chance to prove to the coaches he belongs on the roster. A backfield this crowded could lead to a committee approach if the team sees production out of multiple backs who each bring a different quality to the field. Nevertheless, time is also a factor in this scenario. Quarterback Dak Prescott returns from a hamstring injury that ended his season last November. Having a go-to back and a reliable run game overall will be critical in helping to relieve pressure from the veteran signal-caller. Carrying the rock effectively, will be needed more than ever if Dallas hopes to compete in what has now become a more competitive NFC East division. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans! This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Will Sanders, Williams, or rookie Jaydon Blue emerge as Cowboys' RB1?
