Rico Dowdle Will Be a Key Start 'Em Sit 'Em Debate in Week 17 Fantasy Football
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We are entering Championship Week in many Fantasy Football Leagues. Unfortunately for many of you, panic may be setting in on many players. Today, we will discuss that of Rico Dowdle. In a week where we had thought Dowdle could thrive, he fell flat, going for 29 Yards on 9 Attempts. Will he show up in Week 17, or will he dwindle to nothing?
Recent Output: Rico Dowdle
Not an “amazing” first half for Rico Dowdle. However, he has surpassed that 1,000 yards of rushing for the year mark!
— SleeperPanthers (@SleeperCarolina) December 21, 2025
Huge milestone and a big congratulations to him🎉#KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/mN4655iTfc
Dowdle has not met his upside in recent weeks. Over his last five games, Dowdle is averaging (13.6) Attempts and (53.8) Yards per Game. He has added just (1) Touchdown in this time, despite having (6) on the season.
This may lead us to wonder if Dowdle is losing work to Chuba Hubbard? Over the last five games, Hubbard is averaging (7.6) Attempts and (35.2) Yards per Game. This work has not been increasing, and it does appear that Dowdle and Hubbard remain in around a 65-35% split.
Why the Struggles?
By no means have the Panthers endured a recently difficult schedule. They have faced soft defenses such as the Buccaneers and 49ers. They have faced difficult defenses, but neither dominant in the Rams, Saints, and Falcons. It has been a very moderate schedule. It looks that the Panthers are simply underperforming as the rushing unit.
Dowdle has definitely broken out this season, but it remains true that he is not quite an elite-level Running Back. If we were to rank all starters and backups 1-64, Dowdle is somewhere in the middle. To see his output becoming closer to Flex status than RB1 status is not terribly surprising.
Why to Expect in Championship Week
The good news is that Dowdle remains to have over 60% of Running Back Attempts in this backfield. That should remain, especially considering that Hubbard is neither doing anything over expectation.
In Week 17, the Panthers will be facing the Seahawks. Luckily, this game will be played in Carolina.
The Seahawks are 4th best versus Running Backs. They allow (94.1) Yards per Game, which is 3rd best in the NFL. On paper, this will be a very difficult matchup for Dowdle. The Panthers are also (7.0) point underdogs in this game, suggesting pass-script in the 2nd half if Vegas is right on that betting line.
Given the volume, Dowdle is not quite a bench, but he is neither a guaranteed start. Confusing this may be, but Dowdle is a Start 'Em, Sit 'Em debate this week. Consider our rankings and debate articles which will come out on Tuesday (tomorrow).
Stock Watch
Dowdle is a Flex option with RB2 upside. He should sit around 10-15 touches per game with 20-touch upside, although less likely in a tough Week 17 matchup.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.