Who Should I Start? Miles Sanders or Rico Dowdle

Saturday, August 16, 11:07 PM

Dallas Cowboys running back Miles Sanders rushed for 15 yards on seven attempts during Saturday's preseason loss against the Baltimore Ravens. He was not targeted in the passing game. The veteran earned snaps in both the first and second quarters, but he was largely inefficient. Only two of his rushes went for more than three yards, and he averaged just 2.1 yards per carry. This is a concerning sign as the Cowboys continue to evaluate their running back room prior to officially naming a starter. Sanders is competing with veteran Javonte Williams, the early favorite for the lead-back role after not playing Saturday, and rookie Jaydon Blue (heel), who is dealing with an injury. Sanders is nothing more than a late-round dart throw who can be dropped if he doesn't produce in Week 1.

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.