Who Should I Start? Ezekiel Elliott or Rico Dowdle

Monday, January 6, 9:59 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers have signed running back Ezekiel Elliott on Monday. The former first-round pick will get a chance to compete for a Super Bowl this season. The Chargers are lacking depth at the running back spot, so the addition of Elliott does make sense. The three-time Pro Bowl back might play a minimal role during Saturday's Wild-Card game against the Houston Texans. This season, Elliott rushed for 226 yards on 74 carries with three touchdowns in 15 games with the Dallas Cowboys. The 29-year-old brings knowledge and leadership, but he hasn't rushed for over 1,000 yards since 2021. This is a depth move that gives the 29-year-old a chance to win a Super Bowl.

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.