Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Jarquez Hunter
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, May 8, 12:46 PM
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle began the 2025 season as the RB2 for the Carolina Panthers behind Chuba Hubbard. However, an early-season injury to Hubbard opened the door for Dowdle, and he finished the year with 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 275 touches across 17 games for Carolina. The Steelers rewarded Dowdle with a two-year, $12.25 million contract in free agency, and he now forms a two-headed backfield monster in Pittsburgh with veteran back Jaylen Warren. Warren's presence in Pittsburgh likely caps Dowdle's production ceiling, particularly in the passing game. Still, Dowdle should be the team's primary early-down and goal-line rusher, a role he's proven he can excel in in recent years. In dynasty formats, Dowdle profiles as a solid flex option with some upside heading into 2026.
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 |
Jarquez Hunter News
Saturday, May 2, 5:25 AM
Los Angeles Rams running back Jarquez Hunter did not take an offensive snap as a rookie, seeing the field in only five games, exclusively on special teams. The 2025 fourth-round pick was a popular sleeper pick to immediately usurp primary backup duties from Blake Corum following a similarly quiet rookie season from the 2024 third-rounder. Instead, it was Corum who enjoyed a second-year breakout, finishing as the fantasy RB17 over the final six weeks of the season, leading to calls from some that he could see closer to a 50/50 split with Kyren Williams in 2026. The Rams did not add a running back in the NFL Draft, so Hunter's role as the third back on the depth chart seems locked in, but without an injury ahead of him to either Williams or Corum, expectations remain low heading into year two. For dynasty managers with the luxury, he should still be held at the end of benches, as his skillset matches Sean McVay's offense, and he may have the most natural athleticism of any back on the roster. That said, at RotoBaller's RB85, he's a prime cut candidate for contending managers needing to free up roster space for incoming rookies.
Rico Dowdle vs. Jarquez Hunter
Still trying to decide between Dowdle and Hunter? 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 Jarquez Hunter is projected to score 0.0 points.
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