Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Ray Davis

Sunday, January 5, 9:23 PM

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle rushed 22 times for 72 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Washington Commanders. He also caught two of his three targets for an additional 12 yards through the air. Dowdle was quite impressive throughout the 2024 season, supplanting Ezekiel Elliott as the Cowboys' undisputed No. 1 running back. He finished the campaign with 1,079 rushing yards, 249 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns through 16 games, ranking as a low-end RB2 in fantasy football. There has been plenty of speculation that the Cowboys could take an aggressive approach with their pursuit of a running back this offseason, such as drafting Ashton Jeanty. However, there's also a real possibility they feel confident in Dowdle and don't take as big of a swing for a backfield addition within the upcoming months. The 26-year-old currently still has appeal as a mid-range RB3 option heading into the 2025 campaign, and until Dallas brings in competition, this backfield belongs to Dowdle.

Sunday, January 19, 5:15 PM

According to the team, Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis (concussion) is officially active for Sunday's playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens. Davis sustained this concussion during their wild-card victory over the Denver Broncos. Davis was able to log three straight limited practice sessions and was able to turn the corner in time for this contest. Throughout the season, Davis has been deployed as a change-of-pace option in the Buffalo backfield, averaging a mere 6.6 attempts per game. Fantasy managers should continue to expect James Cook to operate as the lead back, with Ty Johnson operating as the No.2 option and Davis operating as a change-of-pace option. He is a high-risk flex option in DFS competitions, given his limited role in the offense.