Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Jaylen Wright

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.

Saturday, August 23, 11:17 PM

According to Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, running back Jaylen Wright (leg) continues to receive evaluations after exiting practice on Thursday. He's considered "week-to-week." The Dolphins' backfield isn't the healthiest group in the National Football League, with De'Von Achane (calf) still not practicing. It's unknown how things will look heading into the Week 1 opener versus the Indianapolis Colts. However, if Wright and Achane aren't healthy enough to suit up, Ollie Gordon II and Mike Boone could be in line for more touches. Gordon had 43 yards off eight carries in Saturday's preseason win over the Jaguars. While Boone wasn't as productive, amassing 27 yards off seven touches, he at least found the end zone. With that in mind, Gordon may be the safest insurance policy for fantasy managers if Achane and Wright can't give it a go on September 7, at least in terms of workload. Still, that doesn't mean he'll be a reliable fantasy producer. Fortunately, Week 1 is a few weeks away, so there is time for Achane and Wright to come off the injury report.