Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Jaydon Blue

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.

Friday, August 15, 9:44 AM

Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue (heel) is no longer using a walking boot, but hasn't participated in practice since last week. That being said, it's unlikely that Blue is going to be ready to play against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. The Cowboys probably aren't going to put Blue into game action without him getting any practice reps this week. Before going down, Blue looked impressive in camp, so hopefully he'll be able to get back on the field soon. It seems unlikely that he'll surpass Javonte Williams on the depth chart, but Blue could have a role as a backup to begin the season.