Who Should I Start? Antonio Gibson or Rico Dowdle

Monday, August 4, 11:22 PM

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson returned to practice on Wednesday, according to Brian Hines of SBNation. Gibson was dealing with an undisclosed issue, but everything appears to be all good with him health-wise. The 2020 third-round pick had a solid first season in New England in 2024, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and 9 yards per reception. With the addition of 2025 second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson, along with the presence of Rhamondre Stevenson, Gibson will likely be reduced to a backup role behind them.

Saturday, August 9, 4:08 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle showed a glimpse of his potential as a pass-catching threat in the team's preseason debut against the Cleveland Browns, recording one reception for 20 yards to go along with two rushes for seven yards. The 27-year-old running back is entering his sixth season in the NFL after spending his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys, which was riddled with injuries. Dowdle is clearly behind Chuba Hubbard on the depth chart, but could carve out a role in the Panthers' receiving or two-minute offense in 2025. Coming off an underwhelming 2024 season in Dallas, where high hopes for the lead back role didn't materialize (235-1,079-2 on the ground, 39-249-3 in the air), a move to a new location and a backup role could take some pressure off Dowdle and allow him to grow into his potential. Rotoballer currently projects him as RB55, but Dowdle could be a sneaky stash if anything happens to Hubbard throughout the season.