Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Bucky Irving
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Rico Dowdle News
Friday, April 17, 12:28 PM
Veteran running back Rico Dowdle had a standout year with the Carolina Panthers in 2025, racking up 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 275 touches across 17 games. The 27-year-old parlayed his strong season into a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he will likely share lead running back duties with Steelers back Jaylen Warren. Dowdle is the stronger short-area and goal-line back between the two, which could lead to him earning a larger role in the red zone. However, Warren is a standout pass-catcher, which might lead to a drop-off in Dowdle's fantasy value in PPR formats. Dowdle was able to thrive while paired with Panthers back Chuba Hubbard in 2025, so he's proven the ability to provide fantasy production in a split backfield. Still, dynasty managers may want to value Dowdle more as an RB3/flex option than a no-doubt starter at the running back position.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Bucky Irving News
Sunday, April 19, 10:29 AM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was one of the breakout success stories of the 2024 season, recording over 1,500 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. However, foot and shoulder injuries caused him to miss seven games in 2025 and limited him to just 865 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns for the year. Irving's efficiency as a rusher also plummeted precipitously, as he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry after averaging 5.4 yards per carry in 2024. Irving could easily bounce back with better health in 2026. However, Irving's stature as an undersized back leads to questions about whether he can make it through a full NFL season healthy. Additionally, Tampa Bay signed veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell to a two-year contract in free agency. Gainwell topped 1,000 scrimmage yards as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, and his presence caps Irving's workload upside. While Irving still carries plenty of fantasy upside, his dynasty value is more of an open question coming off a down season.
Rico Dowdle vs. Bucky Irving
Still trying to decide between Dowdle and Irving? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Rico Dowdle is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Bucky Irving is projected to score 0.0 points.
Latest Fantasy News
