Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Rico Dowdle


Week 2 Projections

Fant. Pts. Rush. Yds. Rush TD Rec. Rec. Yds. Rec TD
5.0 21.1 0.1 1.0 7.4 0.1

Austin Ekeler News

Austin Ekeler Quiet In Loss To Philadelphia

Sunday, January 26, 6:46 PM

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler tallied just 32 all-purpose yards during their loss in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ekeler also lost a fumble. The Commanders were playing from behind throughout most of the contest, putting their rushing attack out of the game plan. However, even when Ekeler was given the ball through the air, he could not perform. He caught five of his seven targets but tallied just 17 yards. His seven targets tied him the second-most on the team, only behind tight end Zach Ertz. Throughout the season, the 29-year-old operated primarily as a change-of-pace option in the Washington backfield. Entering Sunday, Ekeler posted a strong 10.3 yards per catch and a 4.8 yards per carry. Ekeler will likely remain in this role next season as he enters the final year of his contract.


Week 2 Projections

Fant. Pts. Rush. Yds. Rush TD Rec. Rec. Yds. Rec TD
2.7 13.6 0.1 0.6 3.4 0.0

Rico Dowdle News

Rico Dowdle Shows Receiving Flash in Panthers' Debut

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.


Austin Ekeler vs. Rico Dowdle

Still trying to decide between Ekeler and Dowdle? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Austin Ekeler is projected to score 5.0 points this week while Rico Dowdle is projected to score 2.7 points.