Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (quadriceps) appears to be trending in the right direction heading into Sunday's matchup with the New Orleans Saints. Dowdle was seen stretching ahead of practice Thursday, after working on the side Wednesday. The emerging star is now wearing a helmet in practice, which is an encouraging sign. Continue to monitor injury reports through the weekend, with Dowdle viewed as a must-start if healthy. The 27-year-old has amassed 735 rushing yards and four touchdowns on just 131 carries this season, while adding another 132 yards and a touchdown through the air. The Saints are allowing 129.4 rushing yards per game, and it is unlikely that quarterback Tyler Shough will be able to sustain drives and keep Dowdle off the field Sunday.
Nov 6, 2025 2:24 PM EST
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said the team is being smart with running back Rico Dowdle (quadriceps), which is why he was held out of Wednesday's practice, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. "We're counting on him this weekend," Canales said. It sounds as though the Panthers are expecting Dowdle to be fine to play this Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints, but he'll need to get back onto the practice field in the coming days. The 27-year-old has taken over lead-back duties from Chuba Hubbard in Carolina by running for 652 yards and three touchdowns on 103 carries in the last five games while adding 10 catches for 112 yards and another trip to paydirt. Fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on Dowdle's status the rest of the week, but as long as he's active in Week 10, he's a no-doubt RB1 against the Saints.
Nov 5, 2025 3:19 PM EST
Updating a previous report, Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (quadriceps) was unable to practice on Wednesday due to a quad injury, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. Dowdle has been one of the hottest players in football in recent weeks, so this is a situation to watch heading into Carolina's Week 10 game on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints. The 27-year-old ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns in last week's upset win over the Green Bay Packers. He is only the fourth player in franchise history to have at least 125 rushing yards in three games in the same year, joining Stephen Davis, Christian McCaffrey, and DeAngelo Williams. If Dowdle is unable to play this weekend, it will thrust Chuba Hubbard back into the RB1 role for Carolina. Dowdle's strong play when Hubbard missed time with injury has vaulted him to lead-back duties.
Nov 5, 2025 3:05 PM EST
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (undisclosed) was practicing off to the side on Wednesday in the portion of practice open to the media, according to David Newton of ESPN. It's unclear what Dowdle is dealing with, but this will be a situation to watch heading into Carolina's Week 10 divisional battle on Sunday versus the New Orleans Saints. Dowdle has taken over RB1 duties for the Panthers by rushing for an astounding 652 yards and three touchdowns in his last five games while also adding 10 receptions for 112 yards and another score. If the 27-year-old's injury is serious enough to limit him or keep him out entirely this weekend, Chuba Hubbard would once again become a must-start in fantasy lineups everywhere in a plus matchup against New Orleans. Dowdle has had over 20 carries in three of the last five games and has even topped the 200-yard mark in that span.
Nov 5, 2025 1:47 PM EST
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle had 25 rushing attempts, 130 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns during Sunday's Week 9 win over the Green Bay Packers. He also caught two of his three targets for an additional 11 receiving yards. Dowdle was named the official lead back ahead of this week's game, and he wasted no time confirming the coaching staff made the right decision with his role. He averaged at least 4.65 yards per carry for the fifth consecutive week, bringing his season total to 5.61 YPC. After being somewhat of a non-factor through the first four weeks of the season, Dowdle has suddenly emerged as a potential league-winner in fantasy football. He is the RB3 in PPR leagues over the last five weeks, as well as the overall RB9 over the full nine weeks since the season began. He has a firm grasp on the No. 1 role in Carolina and should be deployed as a strong RB1 option in fantasy football ahead of next week's game against the New Orleans Saints.
Nov 2, 2025 7:23 PM EST
Rico Dowdle is a risky option in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers, but with four teams on a bye, you may not have a viable alternative. The Packers' run defense has allowed 16.73 fantasy points per game to RBs this season, ranking third-best in the league. Dowdle was in a timeshare with Chuba Hubbard through the last two weeks, with Hubbard getting the majority of snaps. Head coach Dave Canales said that Dowdle will be the starter and will get the bulk of the touches this week over Hubbard. While Hubbard will be a part of the Carolina running game this week, Dowdle outperformed him at 5.7 yards per carry to Hubbard's 2.5 over the last two weeks, despite having the lower snap count. The matchup against Green Bay is not favorable, but with Dowdle expected to see the majority of snaps, he is a fantasy RB2 for Week 9. The potential volume signals that he should be kept in lineups.
Nov 1, 2025 12:40 AM EST
Carolina Panthers beat writer Joe Person reports that running back Rico Dowdle will "start and get the bulk of the carries" in his team's Week 9 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Dowdle posted a dominant two-week stretch in early October when Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard was sidelined by a calf injury. Across two games against the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys, Dowdle recorded 473 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 50 touches. In the two games since Hubbard has returned to the field, the two backs have split touches. However, it appears that will change in Week 9. It's unlikely that Hubbard's role in Carolina's offense will completely disappear. Still, Dowdle has a chance to see the majority of backfield snaps, which puts him on track to be a fantasy RB2 in Week 9 against Green Bay.
Oct 31, 2025 3:11 PM EST
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle is expected to be the team's featured back in Week 9 against the Packers following head coach Dave Canales' comments in his press interview on Monday. Dowdle has been impressive with his touches this season, handling 106 carries for 605 yards and two touchdowns while adding 13 catches (17 targets) for 121 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. Meanwhile, Chuba Hubbard has struggled after a breakout 2024 season that earned him a four-year contract extension, recording 79 carries for 282 yards with a touchdown and adding 15 catches (21 targets) for 118 yards with two touchdowns. The Panthers have made it clear that they don't plan on trading Hubbard, and while he'll still be involved, Dowdle has clearly earned more work and should be the preferred fantasy option moving forward. Dowdle is ranked as RotoBaller's RB18 for Week 9 against the Packers.
Oct 31, 2025 9:41 AM EST
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales strongly suggested on Monday that Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers "will be the week he ditches the shared carries approach and rides the hot hand and feet of Rico Dowdle," according to Joseph Person of The Athletic. Chuba Hubbard missed some time earlier this year with a calf injury, which coincided with Dowdle having the best two-game stretch by a Panthers running back in team history. Carolina leaned on Hubbard in Canales' first season in 2024. They gave him a four-year, $33.2 million extension last year, and the Panthers don't want to trade him at this year's deadline. Hubbard will still be involved in the backfield if he's not traded, but Dowdle's production this year -- 5.7 yards per carry, 605 rushing yards, and two touchdowns -- makes him deserving of lead-back duties. Dowdle has earned more work over Hubbard and will be the one with RB2 upside this Sunday against Green Bay.
Oct 29, 2025 12:41 PM EST
When asked about the team's running back situation involving both Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said, "Chuba Hubbard has meant a lot to this team. We wanted to give him an opportunity following his calf injury. But we can't ignore the fact that Rico [Dowdle] has been exceptional." Canales' tone "suggests Dowdle will get a heavier workload," according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. In the team's Week 8 loss to the Buffalo Bills with a negative game script, Dowdle had eight carries for 54 yards and wasn't targeted in the passing game on just 36% of the offensive snaps. Meanwhile, Hubbard had a team-high 12 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown and didn't catch his only target on 57% of the snaps. Dowdle was more efficient on the ground on Sunday and has 123 yards on 25 carries in the two games since Hubbard returned from injury. Even if Dowdle sees a bit more work going forward, this backfield split is going to cap his fantasy value every week.
Oct 27, 2025 3:07 PM EST
In Sunday's 40-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Rico Dowdle had his worst fantasy performance since Week 4, netting 5.4 fantasy points. He was scripted out of the mix and finished with 54 rushing yards on just eight carries and did not catch a pass for the first time this season. Dowdle outrushed Chuba Hubbard 54 to 34 on four fewer rushing attempts. He was the most efficient runner for Carolina, averaging 6.8 yards per carry and recording a longest run of 24 yards, so he still has starting appeal when the Panthers can stay in a game. He should continue to split work nearly evenly with Hubbard, and there is a danger that Dowdle's production could be capped in another one-sided loss next week. Green Bay will come into Week 9 aiming for a fourth consecutive win. In their past four games. the Packers have scored between 27 and 40 points, and Carolina likely cannot keep up with that scoring pace.
Oct 27, 2025 8:43 AM EST
Rico Dowdle is in line for a potentially favorable matchup in Week 8 against the Bills. Over the last four weeks, Buffalo ranked 30th in fantasy points per game allowed to running backs. The Bills have a vulnerable run defense, allowing 31.1 fantasy points per game to RBs during that span. Expect Carolina to rely on their running game in Week 8 to stay in the game. Head coach Dave Canales mentioned that the workload between Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard will be split between the two running backs this week. Last week, Dowdle had a snap share of 46% compared to Hubbard, with 54%. Despite Hubbard having the advantage in snaps, Dowdle outrushed him 79 to 31 rushing yards. If the Panthers don't fall far behind, the running game can be productive because of the matchup. With six teams on a bye in fantasy football Week 8, lock Dowdle in as an RB2 start.
Oct 24, 2025 9:00 PM EST
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle has been one of the best stories in the NFL over the past two weeks, totaling an unbelievable 473 yards and two touchdowns as the lead back in place of Chuba Hubbard (calf). Hubbard will make his return on Sunday against the Jets, which muddies the outlook for the backfield this week. Hubbard earned a contract extension for his strong production last season and operated as the clear lead back before getting injured this season, but the superb play of Dowdle certainly changes some things. Head coach Dave Canales was noncommittal on how touches would be distributed, but expect it to be close to an even split, perhaps with a lean to Dowdle. Given his recent strong play, Dowdle profiles as a viable RB2 or flex start in Week 7 against the Jets.
Oct 18, 2025 4:25 PM EST
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales told reporters on Friday that the coaching staff has determined who will start at running back on Sunday in Week 7 against the New York Jets and get most of the reps between Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, according to David Newton of ESPN. The Panthers are trying to keep a competitive advantage, so they are keeping things close to the vest as far as their backfield plans. Hubbard missed the last two games with a calf injury and was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before upgrading to a full practice on Friday, so that could indicate that Dowdle will see the majority of backfield touches this weekend. That would make sense, especially since Dowdle went for 400-plus scrimmage yards and two scores on 60 total touches the last two weeks with Hubbard out. Fantasy managers should keep Dowdle in their starting lineups, while Hubbard will be more of an RB3/flex in his return.
Oct 17, 2025 1:35 PM EST
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales wouldn't say for sure if running back Rico Dowdle will start on Sunday at RB against the New York Jets, but would only say that Dowdle "has earned the right to help this team and we will find a way (for him) to do that." Chuba Hubbard (calf) has missed the last two games, and in that time, Dowdle has amassed more than 400 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 60 total touches. At the very least, the 27-year-old has earned a backfield split with Hubbard, who could return this weekend after practicing on Wednesday for the first time since Week 4. Before Hubbard's injury, he was solid in his own right as the Panthers' starting RB. It's a good problem to have for Carolina. If Hubbard is back in Week 7, the backfield touches figure to be split more evenly, making things more cloudy for fantasy managers.
Oct 15, 2025 5:15 PM EST
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle has been the talk of the NFL lately, recording 373 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 60 total touches across his last two games played. Dowdle has been filling in for Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (calf), who could make his return in Week 7 against the New York Jets. However, Panthers head coach Dave Canales has been non-committal about whether Hubbard will remain the starter once he returns. While Hubbard will certainly get his touches, it's hard to imagine that Carolina would completely remove Dowdle from the game plan, given what he has done over the last two weeks. If there are any leagues where Dowdle remains available, he needs to be rostered in all fantasy formats and could be a borderline must-start running back in Week 7, even if Hubbard returns to the lineup.
Oct 14, 2025 12:01 PM EST
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle showed that he isn't a one-hit wonder during Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys. Last week, Dowdle shocked the fantasy football world when he rushed for 206 yards against the Miami Dolphins. Dowdle continued to have success this weekend as he rushed for 183 yards on 30 attempts in the win over the Cowboys. He also hauled in four of his five targets for 56 yards and a touchdown through the air. Chuba Hubbard (calf) missed his second straight game which led to increased carries for Dowdle. When healthy, Hubbard is going to have a tough time taking away carries from Dowdle with the way he's running the ball. Dowdle figures to lose some value once Hubbard returns, but remains a viable option versus the New York Jets next week.
Oct 12, 2025 6:28 PM EST
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle is in line to make his second straight start with Chuba Hubbard (calf) ruled out again for Week 6 against Dallas. Dowdle erupted for 234 total yards and a touchdown on 26 touches in Week 5 against Miami in his first spot start of the year. Dowdle may have earned more snaps moving forward when Hubbard returns from injury, given how well he's played. Dowdle and the Panthers should be successful moving the ball on the ground again on Sunday versus a Dallas defense that has allowed 4.5 yards per carry and the seventh most PPR points per game to opposing running backs this season. Dowdle should be fired up as a borderline RB1 for Week 6.
Oct 11, 2025 9:13 AM EST
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle had one of the best fantasy performances by any player this season in Week 5, racking up 206 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against the Dolphins while also catching three passes for 28 yards. Dowdle stepped up with Chuba Hubbard (calf) out, and Hubbard starts Week 6 "day-to-day" heading into Carolina's matchup against the Cowboys in Week 6. Coach Dave Canales said that the team having "two good backs" is "a good problem," but it's hard to know exactly what the timeshare will look like when Hubbard is ready to return. At least in the short term, Dowdle should get more work and could keep the lion's share of the work more long-term if he remains so effective, or if Hubbard needs more time to get back to full speed. It's definitely a situation to monitor moving forward, and Dowdle should be owned in all formats after his career day.
Oct 7, 2025 10:59 AM EST
With Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (calf) viewed as day-to-day with the calf injury that kept him out of Sunday's win against the Dolphins, and Rico Dowdle coming off the first 200-yard game of his career, the Panthers' backfield situation is suddenly looking cloudy for fantasy managers. In speaking with reporters on Monday, head coach Dave Canales said the team has two good running backs and that, "It's a good problem to have." There were some fears that the 73% running back rush share that made Hubbard a fantasy darling in 2024 would be unsustainable, especially after the team signed Dowdle in free agency. Prior to Hubbard's injury, Dowdle had seen a steadily increasing involvement in Canales' offense. As long as Hubbard is out, Dowdle can be started with confidence, but fantasy managers who can afford to do so should take a longer-term approach to seeing how carries are divvied up when both backs are healthy.
Oct 6, 2025 3:07 PM EST
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