Who Should I Start? Ty Johnson or Rico Dowdle

Tuesday, March 11, 7:01 PM

The Buffalo Bills have re-signed running back Ty Johnson on a two-year deal. The amount of the contract is undisclosed. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the news. The Maryland product tied his career high with four total touchdowns last season and was a valuable asset on third downs for the team. Johnson played the second-most snaps of all Bills' RBs in 2024 and will likely again slot in as a change-of-pace option and third-down specialist behind incumbent starter James Cook. However, he'll still have second-year back Ray Davis to compete with for touches, and Davis out-carried Johnson 113-41 in just his rookie season. Despite what this means for the team on the field, it's unlikely to make an impact regarding fantasy. The 27-year-old presents as nothing more than a potential low-end handcuff.

Tuesday, July 1, 9:24 PM

The Charlotte Observer's Alex Zietlow writes that Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle will split carries with rookie Trevor Etienne as the backups to lead back Chuba Hubbard in 2025. Dowdle is coming of a 1,000-yard season with the Dallas Cowboys in his first year as a lead back, but he'll be working behind Hubbard. As the RB2 last year in Carolina, Miles Sanders only had 55 carries, although he was mostly injured and ineffective. Zietlow adds that the Panthers will want to find out what they have in Etienne before Jonathon Brooks (knee) returns in 2026. If anything, the 27-year-old Dowdle will take away valuable pass-catching opportunities from Hubbard on third downs in his first year in Carolina, but it's going to be hard to justify him as an every-week fantasy starter as long as Hubbard stays healthy. Dowdle is ranked as RotoBaller's RB50 going into the 2025 season.