Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or Rico Dowdle
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 91.8 | 0.6 |
Justin Jefferson News
Friday, March 13, 5:49 AM
Two-time All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson is coming off the worst season of his career, his sixth with the Minnesota Vikings. Following a season of uninspired quarterback play from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer, which led to career lows for Jefferson in terms of receiving yards and touchdowns, the team made a splash on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year deal with former first overall pick Kyler Murray. While Murray has never topped 4,000 passing yards in a season and has a spotty track record of supporting number one receivers, if he can reach anything approaching league-average quarterback play, Jefferson can thrive. A 31.4% target share in 2025 kept Jefferson afloat with some of the worst quarterback play in the league, while his lifetime average of 9.27 targets per game is a top-10 all-time number and one that Murray would be wise to continue bumping up if he wants to hit 2027 free agency on a high note.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.9 | 32.3 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 14.2 | 0.1 |
Rico Dowdle News
Monday, March 9, 3:31 PM
The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing former Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle to an undisclosed deal on Monday, multiple sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Dowdle was never expected to return to Carolina in his search for an RB1 role after back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. The 27-year-old carried the Panthers' backfield last year when Chuba Hubbard missed time due to injury, and he finished with 1,076 rushing yards and a career-high six rushing scores on 236 carries over 17 regular-season games (11 starts). Dowdle's production trailed off late last year, though, as Hubbard was kept in the fold out of the backfield. In Pittsburgh, he may have a similar problem. Pass-catching back Kenneth Gainwell signed with the Bucs, but Jaylen Watson remains and could be a serious threat to Dowdle's fantasy upside as he heads into his sixth NFL season. Dowdle finished 2025 as the RB16 in half-PPR scoring.
Justin Jefferson vs. Rico Dowdle
Still trying to decide between Jefferson and Dowdle? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Justin Jefferson is projected to score 21.5 points this week while Rico Dowdle is projected to score 8.9 points.
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