Who Should I Start? Raheem Mostert or Rico Dowdle

Monday, March 17, 10:40 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders added veteran running back Raheem Mostert on a one-year deal last week in free agency, but ESPN's Ryan McFadden writes that the expectation is for the 32-year-old to be the team's No. 2 back and not the top guy. The Raiders could add another RB in free agency among the likes of Nick Chubb, Jamaal Williams, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, but the best path for the team adding to their backfield is to take advantage of a deep RB class in the draft. Vegas could take top RB Ashton Jeanty at No. 6 overall, but if they don't, there will be plenty of value options at the position later in the draft, including Iowa's Kaleb Johnson and Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. Henderson and Judkins both played for new Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who was the Buckeye's offensive coordinator last year.

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.