Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Tyler Allgeier

Tuesday, September 23, 2:45 PM

Carolina running back Rico Dowdle saw his heaviest usage of the season and scored his first touchdown as a Panther in Sunday's blowout win over the Falcons. Dowdle turned 10 carries into 30 yards, with his touchdown coming late in the 4th quarter. The Panthers led throughout, which significantly contributed to Dowdle's increased usage. He did run for over 1,00 yards last season with the Cowboys, so he's far from incapable should the Panthers look to create a more even backfield split, but the team's 30 rushes on Sunday were a season-high. The Panthers face the Patriots in Week 4, who have been stout against the run but susceptible to pass-catching backs. Dowdle's five targets through three games suggest that he won't be used in that role and can therefore be kept on the bench for another week.

Saturday, September 20, 11:27 AM

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier rushed 16 times for 76 yards and a touchdown in Week 2's 22-6 victory over the Vikings, the second straight week he's reached double-digit carries, and he even caught one pass for four yards. The 25-year-old tallied double-digit carries five times all last season, so it bodes well for his usage that he was able to reach the double-digit plateau in both a pass-heavy game and a run-heavy game this early in the season. With the Falcons as five-point favorites in Week 3, it sets up as a spot for the team to lean more run than pass, and if Atlanta intends to keep Bijan Robinson fresh, Allgeier should continue to see involvement. The BYU product's best game in 2024 came in Week 6 against Carolina, rushing 18 times for 105 yards and a touchdown, and he added nine rushes for 52 in the Week 18 rematch. The Panther defense hasn't improved, so Allgeier should be viewed as a low-end RB3 or Flex option on Sunday.