Is Rico Dowdle The Starting Running Back For The Cowboys When He Returns?

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (illness) missed his Week 8 contest against the San Francisco 49ers with some kind of sickness. It's not likely a long-term concern, so he could be back as early as Week 9 if he recovers well. He's currently first on the Cowboys depth chart among running backs.

In his absence, RBs Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook, who was promoted from the practice squad, split the backfield workload. Neither were efficient, and it quickly became clear why neither back was a starter this season. Zeke averaged 3.4 yards per carry and Cook just 2.0.

So will Dowdle be the starting running back when he returns?

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Will Rico Dowdle Start For The Cowboys When He Returns?

Yes. Sunday's game left little doubt as to who the starter will be moving forward. Elliott and Cook are far, far past their primes, and neither are likely to hold a starting RB job again. Their efficiency has fallen off a cliff, and it's highly unlikely that they'll turn things around. The NFL is incredibly hard on the bodies of running backs.

Really hoping/expecting that the #Cowboys give Rico Dowdle 80% of the RB snaps moving forward. All indications that was going to be the case last week before he got sick just before game time.

Dalvin Cook is washed. Ezekiel Elliott is washed.

A solid RB3/Flex moving ahead. pic.twitter.com/tgskHItfFk

— Fantasy Football Zero (@ZeroFantasyHero) October 30, 2024

It's clear to anyone who's watched Dallas play this season that Dowdle is the best running back on the roster. What that means for fantasy football is a little murkier, but the other two backs are not a serious threat to his job.

Rico Dowdle Fantasy Football Outlook

He's on the lower end of the RB3/FLEX spectrum. You'd like to see him have more consistent target volume moving forward for his relevance in full-PPR formats. He had three straight games of double-digit PPR fantasy points from Weeks 4-6, but those were largely buoyed by two receiving touchdowns and a game with five receptions.

#Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy on Rico Dowdle:

“He definitely needs to touch the ball more, without a doubt.”

McCarthy has an 80% reliability rating on usage/workload coachspeak pic.twitter.com/uOChjVsP36

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) October 14, 2024

A more consistent role is exactly what he'll need to help fantasy managers more, and it's not hard to envision it happening. He has head coach Mike McCarthy's vote of confidence. He should be rostered in all leagues for now.

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