While Rico Dowdle undoubtedly possesses talent, it is incredibly telling how his former team utilized him in high-leverage moments a season ago. The fact that Carolina opted to give Chuba Hubbard 13 carries compared to Dowdle’s five during their Wild Card loss to the Rams last season speaks volumes about how he is viewed when the chips are down, something that I’m reading into as he joins an offense that returns their RB1 from 2025.
Should I Draft Rico Dowdle in Fantasy Football?
Because of that profile, there is significant downside to drafting Dowdle without a path to much upside. Dowdle could very well lead his new team in rushing yards. I would be genuinely shocked if he ends up leading this backfield in running back scoring in PPR formats, and that’s the bottom line.
The primary reason for my skepticism is, obviously, Jaylen Warren, whose elite versatility gives him a massive weekly advantage. Warren has proven to be a premier dual-threat weapon, standing out as one of only four running backs to record at least 300 receiving yards and 500 rushing yards in each of the past three seasons.
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The only other names on that exclusive list are fantasy superstars: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Breece Hall. Furthermore, Warren is wildly efficient on the ground, tying Jonathan Taylor with a stellar 4.7 yards per carry since 2022. Among all running backs with at least 500 carries over that span, that mark ranks sixth, trailing only De’Von Achane (5.6), Gibbs (5.3), James Cook (5.1), Derrick Henry (4.9), and Robinson (4.9).
To cement his status atop the pecking order, Warren clearly earned Aaron Rodgers’ trust last season, and that kind of established rapport can go a long way in this offense.
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While Dowdle will certainly be involved, this backfield is Warren or bust for me in 2026, and I have my concerns about the potency of this offense when it comes to the ability to support multiple backs (or multiple WRs, for that matter).
Kyle Soppe’s RB Fantasy Rankings 2026
- Bijan Robinson | ATL
- Jahmyr Gibbs | DET
- James Cook III | BUF
- Ashton Jeanty | LV
- Jonathan Taylor | IND
- Christian McCaffrey | SF
- De’Von Achane | MIA
- Saquon Barkley | PHI
- Chase Brown | CIN
- Derrick Henry | BAL
- Javonte Williams | DAL
- Kenneth Walker III | KC
- Jeremiyah Love | ARI
- Omarion Hampton | LAC
- D’Andre Swift | CHI
- Travis Etienne Jr. | NO
- Breece Hall | NYJ
- Kyren Williams | LAR
- Josh Jacobs | GB
- David Montgomery | HOU
- Cam Skattebo | NYG
- Bhayshul Tuten | JAX
- TreVeyon Henderson | NE
- Bucky Irving | TB
- Chuba Hubbard | CAR
- Jaylen Warren | PIT
- Jordan Mason | MIN
- Jadarian Price | SEA
- Quinshon Judkins | CLE
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS
- Kenny Gainwell | TB
- Rhamondre Stevenson | NE
- Tony Pollard | TEN
- RJ Harvey | DEN
- Zach Charbonnet | SEA
- Rico Dowdle | PIT
- Blake Corum | LAR
- Kyle Monangai | CHI
- Chris Rodriguez Jr. | JAX
- Tyler Allgeier | ARI
- Rachaad White | WAS
- Aaron Jones Sr. | MIN
- J.K. Dobbins | DEN
- Isiah Pacheco | DET
- Nick Singleton | TEN
- James Conner | ARI
- Kimani Vidal | LAC
- Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG
- Jaylen Wright | MIA
- Woody Marks | HOU
