Who Should I Start? Kareem Hunt or Rico Dowdle

Friday, March 14, 1:48 PM

The Kansas City Chiefs are re-signing veteran running back Kareem Hunt to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with incentives on Friday, a source tells NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Hunt began last year on the street before he reunited with the Chiefs when starting RB Isaiah Pacheco went down with an early-season injury. The 29-year-old ended up being a big waiver-wire pickup for fantasy managers, as he went on to rush for 728 yards -- his most since 2020 with the Cleveland Browns -- and seven touchdowns on 200 rushing attempts in 13 regular-season games (eight starts). Hunt also added 23 catches for 176 yards through the air. It was a nice career resurgence for Hunt, who started his career with two seasons in KC back in 2017-18. However, with Pacheco healthy and the team bringing in Elijah Mitchell in free agency, Hunt could be the No. 3 back to open the 2025 season.

Tuesday, July 1, 9:24 PM

The Charlotte Observer's Alex Zietlow writes that Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle will split carries with rookie Trevor Etienne as the backups to lead back Chuba Hubbard in 2025. Dowdle is coming of a 1,000-yard season with the Dallas Cowboys in his first year as a lead back, but he'll be working behind Hubbard. As the RB2 last year in Carolina, Miles Sanders only had 55 carries, although he was mostly injured and ineffective. Zietlow adds that the Panthers will want to find out what they have in Etienne before Jonathon Brooks (knee) returns in 2026. If anything, the 27-year-old Dowdle will take away valuable pass-catching opportunities from Hubbard on third downs in his first year in Carolina, but it's going to be hard to justify him as an every-week fantasy starter as long as Hubbard stays healthy. Dowdle is ranked as RotoBaller's RB50 going into the 2025 season.