Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Kyle Monangai
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.7 | 48.6 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 14.5 | 0.1 |
Rico Dowdle News
Wednesday, July 15, 10:20 AM
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle is entering his first season in Pittsburgh after signing a two-year contract worth over $12 million in free agency. With the Steelers, Dowdle appears likely to operate as part of a split backfield with incumbent running back Jaylen Warren. While Warren logged 1,291 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns for the Steelers last year, Pittsburgh has a new coaching staff in place for the 2026 season. Dowdle has proven himself to be a capable three-down back in recent years, recording 1,328 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024 and 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns for the Carolina Panthers in 2025. While Warren may handle most of the receiving work for Pittsburgh, Dowdle profiles as the better rusher between the tackles and at the goal line. Even while splitting touches with Panthers back Chuba Hubbard in 2025, Dowdle finished as the RB23 in per-game PPR scoring. At his current redraft ADP of RB32, Dowdle profiles as a value selection for fantasy managers.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.1 | 45.5 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 10.7 | 0.1 |
Kyle Monangai News
Saturday, June 27, 11:49 AM
A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai recorded 947 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games. Monangai split backfield work with Bears veteran D'Andre Swift in 2025, and both backs remain on Chicago's roster entering 2026. While Swift's presence could continue to limit Monangai's workload ceiling, Monangai profiles as the more physical downhill rusher of the two and may take on a larger early-down and goal-line role in his second NFL season. Even if the Bears continue to operate with a backfield split in the short term, 2026 is Swift's final season under contract with Chicago. If the competition between the two backs is close, it would not be surprising to see the Bears' coaching staff push more onto the plate of Monangai. Given Monangai's status as an up-and-coming back in a strong Chicago running game, he may be undervalued by redraft ADP as the RB33.
Rico Dowdle vs. Kyle Monangai
Still trying to decide between Dowdle and Monangai? 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 10.7 points this week while Kyle Monangai is projected to score 9.1 points.
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