The Carolina Panthers have made a key addition to their backfield by signing a running back in free agency. While this move strengthens their depth at the position, it may not bode well for his fantasy football outlook.
With uncertainty surrounding 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, who is recovering from another ACL tear, the Panthers needed to bolster their running back group. Although Chuba Hubbard emerged as a reliable starter last season, Carolina lacked proven depth behind him, making Brooks’ availability for 2025 a major question mark.
To address this, the Panthers secured the backfield on a one-year, $2.7 million deal, positioning him as Hubbard’s primary backup. Surprisingly, Rico Dowdle was unable to land a role where he could compete for a starting job, despite delivering the best season of his career in 2024 with the Dallas Cowboys.
Because of this, Yahoo Sports’ Matt Harmon included Dowdle among the biggest fantasy football disappointments in free agency.
“Rico Dowdle was one of my top sleeper running backs on the market this offseason after a strong finish in 2024,” Harmon noted. “With Ezekiel Elliott phased out down the stretch, Dowdle dominated Dallas’ carries, handling 68.3% from Week 12 onward. That ranked as the third-highest workload share among all backs in that period, and he averaged an impressive 4.8 yards per carry.”
Harmon continued, “Unfortunately, his lack of draft pedigree likely led him to accept a low-cost backup role. From a football perspective, I think Carolina is a great fit—he’ll provide crucial relief for Hubbard and step up if the starter goes down. But in fantasy terms, he offers little independent value while Hubbard is healthy.”
During his breakout 2024 campaign, Dowdle finished as the 23rd-ranked running back in PPR leagues, per Fantasy Pros, marking his best fantasy season to date. However, barring an injury to Hubbard, it will be difficult for him to replicate those numbers in 2025.
Adding another layer of concern, Brooks could return from his injury later in the season and further diminish Dowdle’s opportunities. If Brooks gets back to full strength, he could become an additional obstacle in Carolina’s backfield rotation.
Ultimately, after proving to be a solid flex option last season, Dowdle now finds himself relegated to a handcuff role. Fantasy managers who don’t have Hubbard on their rosters may have little reason to draft or hold onto him.
Leave a Reply