Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Jonathon Brooks

Sunday, September 15, 9:24 PM

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle led the team's backfield with 11 touches in the Week 3 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He logged seven carries for 30 yards and added four catches for 29 yards. With the Saints jumping out to an early lead, the Cowboys were forced to pass more, creating a favorable game script for Dowdle. Although he didn't catch a pass for more than nine yards, Dowdle served as a reliable safety valve for quarterback Dak Prescott, often catching checkdowns. Next week, the Cowboys face a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens' stout front, which held the Las Vegas Raiders to just 27 rushing yards. This could force the Cowboys to rely on the passing game again, making Dowdle a potential streaming option in deep-league PPR formats.

Sunday, September 1, 9:52 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) will miss at least the first four games of the regular season after he was placed on the PUP list amidst his torn ACL recovery. This will delay Brooks' NFL debut, and he'll face an uphill battle to emerge as the Panthers' No. 1 running back once he's healthy. While Brooks is undoubtedly the Panthers' franchise running back, it could be difficult for him to win the job over Chuba Hubbard in the middle of the season while recovering from a serious injury and still acclimating to the NFL caliber of play. In other words, a Week 5 return wouldn't necessarily mean he'd warrant a spot in your Week 5 starting lineup. At the very least, fantasy managers should tamper expectations when Brooks gets healthy and be prepared to exercise patience as he gets adjusted to the NFL.