Dowdle is set to re-sign with the Cowboys, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Following the free-agent departure of Tony Pollard, Dowdle is poised to reclaim his role in a Dallas backfield that also currently includes Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and Snoop Conner. Chances are, the Cowboys will add further RB depth via free agency or the draft, so until the team's personnel at the position is settled, Dowdle's fantasy upside for the 2024 season will be difficult to gauge.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Strong season in backup role
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Dowdle finished the regular season with 361 yards and two touchdowns on 89 carries while catching 17 of 22 targets for 144 yards and two more TDs over 16 games.
The 25-year-old running back made his NFL debut with the Cowboys in 2020 but had only seven career carries coming into 2023. Dowdle won the No. 2 job in the backfield behind Tony Pollard in camp and never looked back, setting career highs across the board and posting a couple big performances in blowouts, including 79 yards and a TD on 12 totes against the Giants in Week 10. Dowdle is a restricted free agent this offseason while Pollard is unrestricted, but even if the former stays and the latter departs it's unlikely Dallas would simply hand Dowdle the starting role in 2024. A timeshare or committee role might be the best he can hope for.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Reaches century mark in Week 18
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Dowdle carried the ball nine times for 46 yards and caught three of four targets for 54 yards in Sunday's 38-10 rout of the Commanders.
The backup running back mixed in regularly with Tony Pollard in the Cowboys backfield before taking over completely in the fourth quarter, and Dowdle wound up reaching 100 yards from scrimmage in a game for the first time in his career while seeing double-digit touches for the fourth time this year. The 25-year-old had a solid regular season in his depth role, amassing 505 total yards and four touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving) on 106 touches, and Dowdle should remain involved in the game plan when Dallas faces Green Bay on Sunday in the wild-card round.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Gets back to full participation
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Dowdle (ankle) practiced in full Thursday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
After sitting out Week 17 due to a lingering ankle injury, Dowdle appears set to resume his standing as the Cowboys' No. 2 running back behind starter Tony Pollard on Sunday at Washington, as he has for most of the season. Since the Cowboys' Week 7 bye, Dowdle has turned 61 touches into 248 yards from scrimmage and three total TDs over the last nine games.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Limited Wednesday
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Dowdle (ankle) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Dowdle has been dealing with the ankle issue for weeks and was ultimately deemed inactive ahead of last Saturday's win over the Lions. In his place, Deuce Vaughn served as the top backup to Tony Pollard and played eight snaps on offense, but Vaughn has since been placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury. If Dowdle isn't ready to play in the Cowboys' regular-season finale this Sunday in Washington, Malik Davis would likely be elevated from the practice squad to serve as Dallas' No. 2 back behind Pollard.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Not playing Saturday
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Dowdle (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Lions, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Dowdle has been playing through an ankle injury in the Cowboys' previous six games, but he apparently reached a breaking point this week after missing back-to-back practices Wednesday and Thursday. His absence could mean Deuce Vaughn is active for the first time since Week 10, but the team may lean on fullback Hunter Luepke instead or otherwise sign Malik Davis off the practice squad to serve as a reserve option behind top RB Tony Pollard.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: No practice Wednesday
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Dowdle (ankle) didn't practice Wednesday, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reports.
One day removed from being limited at Tuesday's walkthrough, Dowdle was held out of drills entirely. Thus, he'll have only more chance to practice this week before the Cowboys potentially make a ruling on his status for Saturday's game against the Lions.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Limited Tuesday
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Dowdle (ankle) was estimated as a limited participant for Tuesday's practice, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Dowdle has been nursing this ankle injury for over a month but continues to play through it. In this past Sunday's 22-20 loss to the Dolphins, Dowdle logged just 11 snaps on offense, finishing the day with just two carries for four yards while failing to haul in either of his targets. Dowdle should be ready to play Saturday against the Lions, but he may once again be relegated to a light role behind starting running back Tony Pollard.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Stays limited at practice
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Dowdle (ankle) practiced in a limited fashion Wednesday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
As has been the case in advance of each of the Cowboys' previous five games, Dowdle is again tending to an ankle injury. The health concern hasn't stopped him from playing a regular, albeit small, role in the Dallas offense, as evidenced by 31 carries and seven catches (on eight targets) for 132 yards from scrimmage and two total touchdowns that he's generated during that stretch. Even if he has practice restrictions through Friday, Dowdle could still enter the weekend without a designation for Sunday's contest at Miami.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Five touches in Week 15 loss
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Dowdle carried the ball three times for four yards and caught two of three targets for eight yards in Sunday's 31-10 loss to the Bills.
The Cowboys offense sputtered once again on the road, and Dowdle's 12 yards from scrimmage was his lowest output since he managed only eight yards in Philadelphia back in Week 9. The No. 2 running back has only seen double-digit touches in a game three times all season, and Dowdle will be little more than a desperation dart throw Week 16 against the Dolphins.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Ready to face Buffalo
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Dowdle (ankle) doesn't have an injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Bills, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Dowdle has been playing through the ankle issue for weeks, and Week 15 will be no different. He matched his season high with 12 carries last week against the Eagles, turning them into 46 yards and his fourth touchdown of the season. Dowdle will continue to mix in behind Tony Pollard.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Another limited showing
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Dowdle (ankle) was a limited practice participant Thursday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Dowdle also was listed as limited on Wednesday's practice estimate, giving him just one more opportunity to get back to all activity this week before the Cowboys potentially tag him with a designation ahead of Sunday's game at Buffalo. He's been able to play through his ankle injury in each of Dallas' previous four contests, combining for 33 touches for 120 yards from scrimmage and two TDs during that span while working behind starting running back Tony Pollard.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Limited listing Wednesday
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Dowdle (ankle) was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice report, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Dowdle has had practice restrictions before each of the Cowboys' previous four games, but he ultimately has been able to suit up on all four occasions en route to 28 carries for 95 yards and one touchdown and five catches (on five targets) for 25 yards and another score while working behind starting back Tony Pollard. Assuming he gets through Week 15 prep unscathed, Dowdle should play a similar role Sunday at Buffalo.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Cleared for Week 14 action
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Dowdle (ankle) was a full participant in Friday's practice and doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Eagles, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Dowdle appeared on Dallas injury reports for each of the past three weeks due to an ankle issue, but he proceeded to play in every contest. Though the Cowboys managed his practice workload once again in Week 14, Dowdle will be ready to handle his usual duties as the team's No. 2 running back behind Tony Pollard this Sunday. Through his 12 appearances on the season, Dowdle has found the end zone three times while averaging 5.3 carries and 0.9 catches for 28.1 scrimmage yards per game.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Does little with six touches
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Dowdle rushed five times for 15 yards and brought in his only target for seven yards in the Cowboys' 41-35 win over the Seahawks on Thursday night.
Dowdle logged 15 fewer carries and three less targets than backfield mate Tony Pollard, and the former did little with his opportunities. The third-year pro has been quiet over the last three games after his season-best 12-79-1 rushing day against the Giants in Week 10, with Dowdle netting just 49 yards on 16 carries and posting a 4-19-1 line through the air in the subsequent trio of contests. Dowdle figures to continue operating in a clear No. 2 role when the Cowboys face a virtually impenetrable Eagles run defense in a Week 14 Sunday night home showdown Dec. 10.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Stays limited in practice
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Dowdle (ankle) was listed as a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Dowdle has had his reps capped for the second day in a row, but after the running back experienced no reported setbacks in the team's Thanksgiving Day win over the Commanders, he'll most likely be available for a second consecutive Thursday game against the Seahawks this week. While serving as the top complement to lead back Tony Pollard in the 45-10 win over Washington, Dowdle carried three times for 11 yards and turned his lone target into a 15-yard touchdown reception.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Still tending to ankle injury
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Dowdle (ankle) was a limited participant at practice Monday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
That he was still bothered by his ankle would serve as a reasonable explanation for his limited usage in Week 12, when he played just nine offensive snaps. It doesn't seem like he's in any real danger of missing Thursday's game versus the Seahawks, but if he can't practice in full Tuesday or Wednesday, he could project for another diminished workload in Week 13.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Questionable after limited practice
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Dowdle (ankle) is officially listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Commanders.
Dowdle, who was deemed a limited participant on Wednesday's practice estimate, has been tending to the ankle injury since Week 11 prep. He took a questionable tag into last Sunday's game against the Panthers, but he ultimately suited up and played 10 snaps in Dallas' 33-10 win. If he's able to play once again Thursday, Dowdle should continue to operate as the top backup to Tony Pollard.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Ten touches in rout
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Dowdle carried the ball eight times for 23 yards and caught both his targets for minus-three yards in Sunday's 33-10 win over the Panthers.
The Cowboys were again on cruise control late in the game, and Dowdle has seen double-digit touches in back-to-back weeks as a result. The output against Carolina wasn't nearly as impressive as the 79 rushing yards and a TD that Dowdle amassed against the Giants last week, however, and the South Carolina product remains firmly behind Tony Pollard in the Dallas backfield ahead of a Thanksgiving tilt against the Commanders.
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Cowboys' Rico Dowdle: Sleeper RBs
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I made the case in Start 'Em & Sit 'Em for Tony Pollard to have a big game in Week 11 against the Panthers because of the matchup, and I believe that Pollard is due for a productive outing. But there's also a path for Dowdle to help Fantasy managers as a flex as well, which is why he's listed here. The Panthers are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Carolina leads the NFL in most touchdowns allowed to running backs with 15. If the Cowboys are playing with a lead in this game, we could see Dowdle closing out the win, much like he did in Week 10 against the Giants. Dowdle had 12 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown against the Giants, and he could have similar production this week as well in a similar game script.
