Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Jaleel McLaughlin

Tuesday, October 15, 1:17 AM

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy expressed the need for running back Rico Dowdle to get more opportunities, stating, "He definitely needs to touch the ball more, without a doubt." Dowdle had only five carries for 25 yards rushing in Dallas's loss to the Lions. With the team falling behind early, he was more active in the passing game, catching five passes for 30 yards. In contrast, Ezekiel Elliott managed just 17 yards on six carries against Detriot, marking his fourth straight game with six or fewer rushes and failing to reach 20 yards each time. It will be interesting to see if McCarthy follows through on his promise to increase Dowdle's touches, as he appears to be the more explosive option. The Cowboys are on bye this week and will return in Week 8 to face San Francisco on Sunday Night Football.

Friday, October 18, 12:21 AM

In the Denver Broncos blowout victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night in Week 7, rookie running back Audric Estime out-carried Jaleel McLaughlin five to four, although McLaughlin out-gained the rookie 35 to 29 on the ground in the 33-10 victory. Estime also lost a fumble. Lead back Javonte Williams was the real winner on the night for Denver's offense with 14 carries for a season-high 88 yards and his first two touchdowns of the year. Estime's five carries were a season-high after seeing two totes apiece in his first two NFL games in Weeks 1 and 6. Although Estime could be in head coach Sean Payton's doghouse after losing a fumble against New Orleans, the rookie's presence in Denver's backfield moving forward is yet another reason why McLaughlin cannot be trusted in starting fantasy lineups. Neither RB was targeted in the passing game on Thursday.