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The Dallas Cowboys are re-signing running back Rico Dowdle to an undisclosed deal on Monday. With Tony Pollard moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, Dowdle is now No. 1 on the Cowboys' RB depth chart, for now. The 25-year-old former undrafted free agent out of South Carolina entered the league in 2020 with the Cowboys and has just 96 carries for 385 yards and two rushing touchdowns in his three NFL seasons, adding 17 receptions (22 targets) for 144 yards and two more touchdowns through the air. Eighty nine of his career carries came in 2023, when he rushed for 361 yards and two TDs in 16 regular-season contests. Depending on what Dallas does at the position in the upcoming NFL draft, Dowdle could see a substantial role increase in his fourth NFL campaign.
Mar 18, 2024 6:29 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle probably would have seen a lot more work if Sunday's blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers occurred in the regular season, but he only saw four touches (two carries, two catches) for 25 scrimmage yards in the 48-32 wild-card loss. It was a disappointing finish for Dowdle and the Cowboys after they secured the NFC East title and the No. 2 seed for the postseason, but it nevertheless ended in another quick playoff exit. Dowdle had 100 scrimmage yards in the Week 18 regular season finale and had by far the best year of his career in his third season with Dallas, rushing for 361 yards and two touchdowns on 89 carries in 16 regular season games. He also had 17 catches for 144 yards and two more TDs. The 25-year-old will be a free agent this March and could land in a situation that gives him more access to playing time if he can stay healthy.
Jan 15, 2024 12:47 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle got a little extra playing time in a big Week 18 win over the Washington Commanders. Dowdle ran the ball nine times, gaining 46 yards. He was targeted four times in the passing game, making three catches for 54 yards, including a big play in which he caught a pass for a 32-yard gain. With the Cowboys fully in charge of the game, the backups got a little time to play and Dowdle made the most of it. He's a solid backup and at times this season looked better than starter Tony Pollard, but Pollard was ultimately able to fight him off and keep the Dallas depth chart as it was.
Jan 8, 2024 1:05 AM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) was a full participant during Friday's practice session. Dowdle began the week with a limited practice session, but was able to practice in full on Thursday and Friday. That being said, Dowdle should be out there for Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders. He figures to operate as the primary backup to Tony Pollard in the backfield. There won't be a ton of streaming appeal here, so fantasy managers should look elsewhere for help.
Jan 5, 2024 9:25 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) was upgraded to a full practice on Thursday. Dowdle has been dealing with an ankle bruise for several weeks now, and he needed to miss his first game of the season in last Saturday's Week 17 win over the Detroit Lions. Thursday's full session should allow the 25-year-old to return to his change-of-pace role behind Tony Pollard out of Dallas' backfield, however, for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders without an injury designation on Friday's report. Dowdle has tallied four total touchdowns this season, collecting 80 carries for 315 yards and 14 catches for 90 yards in 15 games, and Deuce Vaughn (ankle) is on injured reserve. The Cowboys are nearly two-touchdown favorites in Week 18, so more work could head Dowdle's way if they form a substantial lead while on the prowl for the NFC East crown.
Jan 5, 2024 12:23 AM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) got in a limited practice on Wednesday ahead of his team's Week 18 matchup against the Washington Commanders. Dowdle has been nursing an ankle injury for weeks, an issue which forced him to miss Week 17's win over the Detroit Lions. Dowdle's ability to get on the practice field on Wednesday is a promising development, although he will have to make it through the remainder of the week. If active, Dowdle will serve as the backup to Tony Pollard. If Dowdle doesn't play, the Cowboys would probably have to make a practice squad move as Deuce Vaughn (ankle) landed on injured reserve earlier in the week with an ankle injury of his own.
Jan 3, 2024 9:21 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) didn't practice with the team on Wednesday or Thursday and has officially been ruled out for Saturday night's Week 17 contest versus the visiting Detroit Lions. With Dowdle out, rookie Deuce Vaughn will have an expanded role as a change-of-pace option to starter Tony Pollard in Dallas' backfield this weekend. Dowdle is averaging 3.9 yards per carry on a career-high 315 rushing attempts in his third NFL season with Dallas this year, but he just hasn't had enough touches to give him standalone fantasy value as the Cowboys' backup. Pollard could have a slightly bigger role in Week 17 with Dowdle sidelined, but he should be considered a midrange RB2 in fantasy in a bad matchup.
Dec 28, 2023 4:20 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) missed practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury. Dowdle was downgraded after practicing on a limited basis on Tuesday, which is never a great sign as the Cowboys prepare to face off against the Detroit Lions in Week 17's Saturday night game. If Dowdle ultimately doesn't end up playing on Saturday, look for Deuce Vaughn to be active as the backup to Tony Pollard.
Dec 27, 2023 9:28 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) was limited on Tuesday. Dowdle has been managing his ankle injury for several weeks now, although he has been able to play through the issue. With the Cowboys set to face off against the Detroit Lions on Saturday, Dowdle will still have a few more days of practice to get upgraded before the team takes the field. That being said, he hasn't been seeing much work as the RB2 behind starter Tony Pollard of late. If Dowdle were to be a surprise inactive on Saturday, the Cowboys would likely turn to Deuce Vaughn as the change-of-pace back behind Pollard.
Dec 26, 2023 9:39 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle touched the ball just twice in a Week 16 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Dowdle ran the ball twice, gaining a total of four yards. He was targeted twice in the passing game but was unable to make either catch. It was a disappointing game for the Cowboys rushing attack in general, as starter Tony Pollard only went for 12-38-0. Dowdle flashed a bit earlier in the year, but he's settled back in as little more than a backup and occasional change-of-pace option. He's not worth a start next week against the Detroit Lions.
Dec 24, 2023 7:56 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) was a limited participant at Thursday's practice, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. Dowdle's practice reps have been capped for sixth weeks in a row due to an ankle injury, but he has yet to miss a single game for the Cowboys this year. Assuming a similar trajectory awaits him for Week 16, it's fair to expect Dowdle to be active on Sunday evening for a potential Super Bowl preview against the Miami Dolphins. The 25-year-old runner has very scant standalone fantasy value, and his handcuff upside behind starter Tony Pollard is dwindling with such little time left on the 2023 calendar for fantasy purposes. Overall, Dowdle has amassed 311 rushing yards and 14 catches for 90 yards with two touchdowns apiece through the air and on the ground, and he remains an end-of-bench stash for Pollard's managers in the playoffs.
Dec 22, 2023 12:55 AM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) can't manage to escape the injury report due to an ankle injury that kept him limited in practice on Wednesday. It's not an injury serious enough to cause him to miss any games, though, so he should be expected to play this Sunday in a big game on the road against the Miami Dolphins. The 25-year-old is averaging just under 4.0 yards per carry on the year but has had too limited of a role in Dallas' backfield to give him any real fantasy appeal besides being a handcuff to Pollard. Dowdle has seen double-digit carries just twice in 14 games in 2023 and had only three carries for four yards while catching two passes for eight yards in last week's blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills. Continue to ignore Dowdle in Week 16.
Dec 20, 2023 8:32 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle got just five touches in a Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Dowdle ran the ball three times, gaining just four yards total. He was targeted three times in the passing game, making two catches for eight yards. Dowdle was on the injury report with an ankle issue most of the week, but he was able to get in a full practice on Friday and was not expected to be limited in the game. The entire Cowboys offense ended up being limited though, leaving no strong performances on the ground.
Dec 17, 2023 8:01 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) is good to go for a Week 15 game against the Buffalo Bills after being removed from the injury report on Friday. Dowdle got in limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday, but was able to practice in full on Friday and should be safe in his role as the backup and change-of-pace option behind Tony Pollard. There have been points in the season where Dowdle looked like the stronger member of the Dallas backfield, but Pollard has been on a good run lately and should get every chance to remain atop the depth chart. Dowdle has some upside but is hard to trust in starting lineups without a starting role of his own.
Dec 15, 2023 4:42 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) was a limited practice participant on Thursday. Dowdle was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's estimated report as well, and he'll have one more chance to return to full activity on Friday before injury designations will be set in preparation for Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills. Dallas' No. 2 back took 12 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown with one six-yard reception in the Sunday night rout of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14 and hasn't missed a game yet this season. Dowdle remains one Tony Pollard setback away from potential league-winning status in fantasy, and his increase in goal-line involvement last Sunday is certainly worth noting. Pollard has hit paydirt just five times in 2023 despite the second-most red-zone touches (58) in the league.
Dec 15, 2023 1:01 AM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) got in a limited session on Wednesday ahead of his team's Week 15 game against the Buffalo Bills. Dowdle has been managing his ankle injury for several weeks now, although it hasn't caused him to miss any games yet. The veteran has served as the primary backup to Tony Pollard this season and would do so again against the Bills, assuming that he continues to play through his ankle issue. Stay tuned to practice reports on Thursday and Friday to see how Dowdle progresses.
Dec 13, 2023 9:52 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle played well and scored a touchdown in a Week 14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Dowdle ran the ball 12 times, gaining 46 yards and scoring a touchdown on a goal-line run in the second quarter. He also caught a pass on his only target, gaining six yards on the play. Dowdle had been limited by an ankle injury lately, but he looked healthy in this one and only received four fewer carries than starter Tony Pollard.
Dec 11, 2023 12:59 AM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) practiced in a limited fashion on Thursday. After getting in a limited practice on Wednesday as well, Dowdle would appear to have a decent chance of suiting up as Tony Pollard's breather back for Week 14's key matchup between two of the NFC's finest squads with the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. Dallas played on Thursday Night Football in Week 13, so Dowdle will have had 10 days to recuperate by the time Sunday arrives. The shifty 25-year-old is arguably one Pollard injury away from potential league-winning fantasy status and makes for a shrewd bench stash for teams already settled into favorable playoff positioning. Dowdle has taken 63 carries for 261 yards with 11 receptions for 76 yards and three total touchdowns as Pollard's clear-cut backup over Deuce Vaughn in Arlington this year.
Dec 8, 2023 12:47 AM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has fallen back into backup status over the past few games and is not a worthwhile fantasy option in a Week 14 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Dowdle had an upswing earlier in the season where he was clearly the most effective runner in the Cowboys backfield, but starter Tony Pollard has reemerged over the past three games and taken over the position for himself. Dowdle is worth a stash because he'd be an immediate top-20 option if Pollard were to miss time, but he's not a starting option at this point.
Dec 7, 2023 5:24 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (ankle) got in a limited practice on Wednesday as his team prepares to face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14. Dowdle has been dealing with an ankle injury for several weeks now, an injury that he has been playing through. As long as he doesn't suffer a setback through the remainder of the week, Dowdle is in line to take his normal spot as the team's backup RB behind Tony Pollard in Week 14.
Dec 6, 2023 9:27 PM EST
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