Why Panthers RB Rico Dowdle Is A Fantasy Football League Winner

Diving into what makes Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle one of fantasy football's biggest league winners going forward.

Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs with the ball during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers have seen one of the more sudden mid-season breakouts throughout the entire league from a key contributor in the backfield. Veteran running back Rico Dowdle is coming off one of the best single-game performances of any back this season versus the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6, looking to carry such momentum into the back half of the year. 

The week prior, Dowdle emerged as the lead back in Carolina’s backfield and made the most of the opportunity. His quick rise and low expectations entering the season makes him one of fantasy football’s top sleepers of the year so far. 

With injuries to the running back unit, Dowdle has managed to cement his role in the Panthers’ backfield and projects to sustain a solid level of production over the remainder of the season. Given his ADP, Dowdle could be a league-winner for fantasy owners who have managed to capitalize on his production over the past two weeks. Here’s why we think so:

Rico Dowdle Fantasy Outlook

Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs with the ball while getting pressured by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Shemar James (50) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Following an injury to starting running back Chuba Hubbard, Dowdle saw his first significant action of the season versus the Miami Dolphins in Week 5. Entering the contest with 28 carries through four games, Dowdle set season-highs in carries and rushing yards, carving out a 23-carry, 206-yard performance, with three catches for 28 yards in the passing game. 

Dowdle led all running backs among PPR leagues with 32.4 points in Week 5 and followed it up with an equally stellar performance in Week 6. Versus the Cowboys, Dowdle racked up 239 yards from scrimmage on 34 touches, finding the end zone through the air. His 33.9 points finished second only to Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson among all backs for Week 6. 

Going forward, he projects to sustain the majority of his volume ahead of Hubbard, who is likely to return to the backfield behind Dowdle, given the spark he’s generated for Carolina’s offense. 

Dowdle Is A Fantasy Football League Winner

Oct 12, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs with the ball while being tackled by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Shemar James (50) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

The former Cowboys back has cemented his role in Carolina and will likely finish the season penciled in as a fantasy starter, given his volume. Dowdle entered the season with an ADP of just 205 according to FantasyPros’ data, ranking 58th among running backs in PPR leagues coming into the year. 

He’s vastly outperformed expectations and is now set to take over as the lead back in the Panthers’ backfield going forward. Dowdle may not sustain 30-point production on a week-to-week basis, but his efficiency with encouraging production has emerged as a saving grace among fantasy lineups.