Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Dylan Sampson

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, 11:48 AM

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson was the first running back up in the rotation during Wednesday and Thursday's joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to The Athletic's Zac Jackson. The fourth-round rookie's stock has grown throughout training camp. Second-round pick Quinshon Judkins is involved in legal trouble and hasn't signed a contract with the Browns. That makes Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. the biggest competitors for touches. Ford took a pay cut to remain with Cleveland, and the coaching staff may be favoring the rookie over the fourth-year veteran. The Browns are projected to have one of the league's worst offenses, and running back touchdowns may be hard to come by. Both Ford and Sampson are double-digit fantasy football selections. The rookie is a sleeper for what could be a heavy workload this season.