Who Should I Start? Tua Tagovailoa or Rico Dowdle
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.7 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Tua Tagovailoa News
Tuesday, August 4, 11:23 AM
The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (back), who returned to a limited practice on Tuesday, is likely to be the team's Week 1 starter under center. Michael Penix Jr. (knee) has not been cleared for 11-on-11 team work in training camp after tearing his ACL last year, leading to Tagovailoa getting all of the first-team reps so far in camp. Tagovailoa's fantasy stock is rising for those in two-QB superflex leagues as he enters his first season in Atlanta. The 28-year-old former fifth overall pick from the University of Alabama led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards in 2023 and a 72.9% completion percentage in Miami in 2024, and he'll have plenty of weapons around him in Atlanta to bounce back in 2026. However, durability remains a major concern (mostly in relation to head injuries), and when Penix returns to full health, Tagovailoa could be on a short leash in the starting role if he struggles. The arrow is pointing up for Tagovailoa, but RotoBaller still has him ranked as the No. 30 fantasy QB as he heads into his seventh year in the NFL.
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
Thursday, July 30, 10:07 AM
DK Pittsburgh Sports reports that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle got reps ahead of Jaylen Warren in training camp practice on Thursday, which was the opposite of Wednesday. However, both RBs took reps with the first-team offense. Warren lost considerable pass-catching work to Kenny Gainwell in 2025, but he still managed a career-high 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 211 carries while adding 40 receptions for 333 yards and another two TDs as a receiver in 16 regular-season games in his fourth year in the NFL. Gainwell is gone, with Dowdle taking his place in Pittsburgh's backfield alongside Warren. With Dowdle now in the picture, Warren's rushing workload will likely take a hit, but he could replace that volume with more work as a pass-catcher, and we all know how veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers loves to dump off the football late in his career. This could be a true even split between Warren and Dowdle in 2026, with RotoBaller ranking Dowdle as the No. 30 overall fantasy RB, and Warren at No. 31. Warren should have slightly more upside as an RB3/flex option in PPR formats.
Tua Tagovailoa vs. Rico Dowdle
Still trying to decide between Tagovailoa and Dowdle? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Tua Tagovailoa is projected to score 11.7 points this week while Rico Dowdle is projected to score 10.7 points.
Latest Fantasy News
