Rico Dowdle
#5 RB,
Free Agent
ACTUAL 2022
0 FPTS
RANK:180
2023 SEASON
- FPTS
RANK:-
AGE
24 yrs
HEIGHT/WEIGHT
6'0'' / 215 lbs
COLLEGE
South Carolina
Finishes season strong
Published: 2025-01-05
Dowdle rushed 22 times for 72 yards and a touchdown while catching two of three targets for 12 yards in Sunday's 23-19 loss to the Commanders.
Dowdle's two-yard rushing touchdown with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Cowboys a 19-16 lead, but the Commanders responded with a game-winning touchdown in the final seconds. The pending unrestricted free agent bolstered his value with a strong stretch run, as Dowdle compiled 591 rushing yards and two touchdowns over the last six games. Overall, Dowdle recorded 235 carries for 1,079 yards and two touchdowns while catching 39 of 49 targets for 249 yards and three touchdowns in this breakout season. If the Cowboys bring Dowdle back, they will likely look to bolster their backfield further via the draft or free agency.
Hits season milestone in loss
Published: 2024-12-29
Dowdle rushed 23 times for 104 yards and brought in his only target for four yards in the Cowboys' 41-7 loss to the Eagles on Sunday. He also lost a fumble.
Dowdle was able to bounce back from a difficult night against the Buccaneers' stingy run defense in Week 16, eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the fourth time in the last five games. The productive day also pushed Dowdle over the 1,000-yard threshold for the season, a particularly noteworthy accomplishment considering he didn't have a consistent grasp of the lead-back role over the first half of the season. Dowdle's fourth-quarter fumble at Eagles' 10-yard line was costly in terms of both costing the Cowboys points and leading to an eventual Philadelphia TD, but the fourth-year pro should have a good chance of finishing the season in productive fashion against the Commanders in Week 18.
Struggles against Tampa Bay
Published: 2024-12-22
Dowdle rushed the ball 13 times for 23 yards in Sunday's 26-24 win over Tampa Bay. He added three receptions on three targets for 28 yards.
Dowdle had emerged as an efficient rusher with elevated volume in recent weeks, but he never got going on the ground in Sunday's win. His longest gain as a rusher went for just six yards while 10 of his attempts went for two yards or fewer. Dowdle managed to redeem himself a bit as a pass catcher by posting his most receiving yards since Week 9. Things won't get easier for him heading into a Week 17 matchup against the Eagles, but he should remain a centerpiece of the Cowboys' offense.
Career-best 149 yards
Published: 2024-12-15
Dowdle rushed the ball 25 times for 149 yards in Sunday's 30-14 win over the Panthers. He was not targeted.
Dowdle was coming off a career-best 131 rushing-yard performance, but he outpaced that mark in Sunday's blowout win. He had a solid first half but was relied upon to burn clock in the final two quarters, when he tallied 14 attempts for 91 yards. The only downside to Dowdle's performance was that he couldn't find the end zone, but he's suddenly one of the league's most productive backs, having topped 100 yards on the ground in three straight contests.
Stars in MNF loss
Published: 2024-12-09
Dowdle rushed 18 times for 131 yards and brought in one of two targets for 10 yards in the Cowboys' 27-20 loss to the Bengals on Monday night.
Dowdle consistently gashed the Bengals' lackluster run defense throughout the night, recording a game-long 27-yard run and finishing with a career-high rushing yardage total in the process. The 26-year-old now has back-to-back 100-yard performances and no fewer than 86 rushing yards in three straight games heading into a highly favorable Week 15 road matchup against the Panthers.
Tops 100 yards on ground
Published: 2024-11-28
Dowdle rushed the ball 22 times for 112 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 27-20 win over the Giants. He added three receptions on three targets for 11 yards
Dowdle found plenty of running room with a season-high 22 carries and ripped off long gains of 22, 18, 17 and 13 yards. That led to the first 100-yard rushing game of his career and also marked the first time a Cowboys running back has topped the century mark since Week 3 of the 2023 campaign, per Saad Yousuf of The Athletic. Dowdle added to his impressive performance with a four-yard touchdown scamper late in the fourth quarter to ice the game for the Cowboys.
Garners 98 total yards in win
Published: 2024-11-24
Dowdle rushed 19 times for 86 yards and brought in all three targets for 12 yards in the Cowboys' 34-26 win over the Commanders on Sunday. He also lost a fumble.
Dowdle operated as the unquestioned lead back, as backfield mate Ezekiel Elliott logged only three carries. The former fittingly parlayed his second-highest carry total of the season into his second-highest rushing yardage tally, and he also extended his streak of multi-catch efforts to six games. Dowdle heads into a favorable Thanksgiving Day home matchup against the Giants with a secure grip on the top job in Dallas' ground attack.
Struggles with 12 touches on MNF
Published: 2024-11-18
Dowdle rushed 10 times for 28 yards while catching two of five targets for six yards in Monday's 34-10 win over Houston.
Dowdle got his head coach's vote of confidence prior to Monday's kickoff, and Mike McCarthy's words rang true after the tailback led Dallas in carries. That's where the good news ended, as the 26-year-old struggled to generate any room to operate in a blowout loss. Unlike star teammate CeeDee Lamb, Dowdle's value may have taken a significant hit by Dak Prescott's (hamstring) season-ending injury. With little threat of a passing attack, opposing defenses can stack the box against Dowdle and Co. like the Texans successfully accomplished Monday. Dowdle should still carry deep-league value, but those in standard formats may have to make difficult decisions as the fantasy playoffs inch closer.
Lead back moving forward
Published: 2024-11-14
Coach Mike McCarthy called Dowdle the Cowboys' "lead back" Thursday, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Dallas has operated with a committee approach to its backfield so far this season but ranks 31st in rushing yards per game (83.7). Dowdle has been by far the most productive option, recording 4.5 YPC versus Ezekiel Elliott's 3.7, Dalvin Cook's 2.5, Deuce Vaughn's 2.9 and Hunter Luepke's 3.2. In eight appearances, Dowdle has averaged 13.4 touches per game, a number that should increase following McCarthy's comments.