Who Should I Start? Aaron Jones or Rico Dowdle

Monday, October 21, 5:13 PM

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) was listed as limited on Monday's estimated practice report. The team didn't actually hold a practice a day after their first loss of the 2024 season as they prepare to take on the Los Angeles Rams this Thursday night. Jones suffered a hamstring injury in the Week 5 win over the New York Jets in London and had the bye in Week 6 to heal up before returning in the Week 7 loss to the division-rival Detroit Lions. His hamstring looked just fine on Sunday, as he carried the ball 14 times for 93 yards and a touchdown while adding three catches for 23 yards. Barring a setback, the 29-year-old should be ready to rock this Thursday against a Rams defense that has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to RBs the last three weeks. Jones should be started on Thursday as long as he doesn't suffer a setback in practice.

Tuesday, October 15, 1:17 AM

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy expressed the need for running back Rico Dowdle to get more opportunities, stating, "He definitely needs to touch the ball more, without a doubt." Dowdle had only five carries for 25 yards rushing in Dallas's loss to the Lions. With the team falling behind early, he was more active in the passing game, catching five passes for 30 yards. In contrast, Ezekiel Elliott managed just 17 yards on six carries against Detriot, marking his fourth straight game with six or fewer rushes and failing to reach 20 yards each time. It will be interesting to see if McCarthy follows through on his promise to increase Dowdle's touches, as he appears to be the more explosive option. The Cowboys are on bye this week and will return in Week 8 to face San Francisco on Sunday Night Football.