Who Should I Start? Jonathan Taylor or Rico Dowdle

Sunday, December 28, 9:25 PM

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor did not have his most efficient day in his team's 23-17 Week 17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he was able to volume his way to solid production. Taylor recorded 21 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown and also hauled in three receptions for 14 yards on six targets. The 26-year-old has now recorded 1,924 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns on 353 touches across 16 games in 2025. While Taylor's numbers for the season are excellent, he's struggled with efficiency throughout the second half of the season. Including Week 17, he's averaged fewer than four yards per carry in five out of his last six games. Still, the Colts' offense remains built around Taylor, as he's recorded at least 18 touches in every game but two this season. Indianapolis will travel to Houston to take on the Texans in Week 18.

Sunday, January 11, 12:48 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle, who will be a free agent in March, said his decreased number of carries at the end of the season will impact his thinking in free agency, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Dowdle said he wants to go somewhere "where he can get the bulk of the carries." The 27-year-old was an unquestioned RB1 during the 2025 season when Chuba Hubbard missed time with an injury. However, Dowdle was involved in more of a timeshare late in the year following Hubbard's return, and he watched Hubbard score twice in the Wild-Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. He had only five rushing attempts for nine yards while adding one catch on two targets for six yards. In the final four regular-season games, Dowdle averaged only 3.3 yards per carry as his role shrank. It sounds as though Dowdle doesn't plan on signing in Carolina, but it remains to be seen if he'll be able to land a lead-back role elsewhere in free agency.