Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Zach Charbonnet
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.9 | 32.3 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 14.2 | 0.1 |
Rico Dowdle News
Monday, March 9, 3:31 PM
The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing former Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle to an undisclosed deal on Monday, multiple sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Dowdle was never expected to return to Carolina in his search for an RB1 role after back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. The 27-year-old carried the Panthers' backfield last year when Chuba Hubbard missed time due to injury, and he finished with 1,076 rushing yards and a career-high six rushing scores on 236 carries over 17 regular-season games (11 starts). Dowdle's production trailed off late last year, though, as Hubbard was kept in the fold out of the backfield. In Pittsburgh, he may have a similar problem. Pass-catching back Kenneth Gainwell signed with the Bucs, but Jaylen Watson remains and could be a serious threat to Dowdle's fantasy upside as he heads into his sixth NFL season. Dowdle finished 2025 as the RB16 in half-PPR scoring.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.9 | 39.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 0.0 |
Zach Charbonnet News
Thursday, March 12, 5:51 PM
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said on Seattle Sports Radio on Thursday that running back Zach Charbonnet's (knee) ACL surgery "went very well," and his "outlook is good." Schneider wouldn't provide a timeline for Charbonnet's recovery or a timetable for when he might be able to resume football activities. The 25-year-old tore the ACL in his knee during the Divisional Round win against the San Francisco 49ers, so given the timing of the injury, it wouldn't be realistic to expect Charbonnet to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Typically, recovery from a torn ACL takes anywhere from eight to 12 months. Seattle's backfield is thin because of Charb's injury, and with Kenneth Walker III signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. If Charbonnet isn't ready in early September, the Seahawks could pair a rookie RB with both George Holani and newcomer Emanuel Wilson. Charbonnet's 2026 fantasy value is probably going to take a pretty big hit because of his injury, but when he's finally healthy, he could have a clear path to being the RB1.
Rico Dowdle vs. Zach Charbonnet
Still trying to decide between Dowdle and Charbonnet? 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 8.9 points this week while Zach Charbonnet is projected to score 7.9 points.
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