Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Bhayshul Tuten

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.

Thursday, August 14, 8:38 AM

According to Travis Holmes of Big Cat Country, Jaguars rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten appears to be pulling ahead in the RB competition during team practices. Holmes noted that Tuten "looks like a hard man to take off the field." While veteran running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby have been given more opportunities with the first team during training camp, the fourth-round rookie has been making a strong case to take the starting job. During his preseason debut, Tuten ran the ball six times nd picked up 24 yards and a rushing score. Even though he was deployed as the No. 3 running back in this game, seeing him flash more potential during practice should quickly push him up the depth chart. Last season, Etienne had a disappointing campaign, posting a career-low 3.7 YPC. For now, Tuten remains an intriguing late-round target in drafts as he could slowly take over the starting job as the season progresses.