Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Blake Corum

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.

Thursday, July 10, 3:20 PM

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum was a popular fantasy sleeper heading into last season after being selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Michigan. However, the 24-year-old failed to make an impact, logging just 58 carries for 207 yards and failing to score a touchdown. Corum did not look explosive in his limited action, but running backs coach Ron Gould said he is looking better this offseason. "He's gotten his speed back, so his explosiveness has come back," Gould said. "We had a chance to just see that, and then his ability to come out of cuts, which is something that we saw in the junior year and part of his senior year." While this is a promising development, the team's decision to draft Auburn's Jarquez Hunter in Round 4 of this year's draft does not express much confidence in the former National Champion. Kyren Williams should retain his starting role to begin the 2025 campaign, but whoever wins the RB2 job could be a premier handcuff for fantasy football and a potential league-winner should Williams be benched or suffer a long-term injury.