Rico Dowdle

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• Steelers' Rico Dowdle: Sharing backfield with Warren

  26D ago • By RotoWire

  Dowdle, who signed with the Steelers in March, is set to work in tandem with Jaylen Warren this coming season, Kevin Hutchinson of steelersnow.com reports. On the heels of back-to-back seasons (one with Dallas and one with Carolina) during which he topped 1,000 rushing yards, Dowdle bolsters a Steelers backfield that saw Kenneth Gainwell depart via free agency this offseason. It remains to be seen how the carries/targets will be divided between Warren and Dowdle in 2026, but the two players' different skill sets could lead to a "thunder and lightning" approach utilizing Warren's shiftiness and quickness and Dowdle's bruising style. Also in the mix for complementary touches are 2025 third-rounder Kaleb Johnson and versatile rookie Eli Heidenreich, with added context regarding Pittsburgh's backfield approach set to arrive once team drills commence in training camp.

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• Steelers' Rico Dowdle: Headed to Pittsburgh

  03/09/2026 • By RotoWire

  Dowdle is slated to sign with the Steelers, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports. Per NFL.com, it's a two-year, $12.25 million deal for Dowdle, who is set to move over to the AFC after one year in Carolina. He produced a 236-1,076-6 regular-season rushing line last season with the Panthers, which was nearly identical to the 235-1,079-2 line he posted during his 2024 breakout campaign with the Cowboys. Dowdle also caught exactly 39 passes each of the past two seasons, totaling 546 yards and four touchdowns, and he's chipped in as a kick returner throughout his career. The Steelers have Jaylen Warren locked in as their primary RB, so Dowdle figures to form a 1-2 punch with the incumbent starter, though his role may be somewhat different from that of Kenneth Gainwell, who featured as a pass catcher in 2025 but is departing in free agency to Tampa Bay.

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• Panthers' Rico Dowdle: Uncertain to return to Carolina

  02/25/2026 • By RotoWire

  General manager Dan Morgan said Tuesday that the door is open for Dowdle to return to Carolina in 2026, but the Panthers will give him the opportunity to test the market in free agency, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports. Though the Panthers are seemingly keen on retaining Dowdle at the right price, it's possible that the franchise won't be able to afford the running back coming off his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. If Dowdle heads elsewhere, Morgan expressed confidence in the remaining members of the running back room (Chuba Hubbard, Jonathon Brooks and Trevor Etienne) being capable of picking up the slack. After opening 2025 as the Panthers' starter before sliding to second on the depth chart, Hubbard had already moved back into a near-even timeshare with Dowdle by the end of the regular season and then handily out-snapped and out-touched Dowdle in the Panthers' wild-card loss to the Rams.

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• Panthers' Rico Dowdle: Another quiet showing

  01/11/2026 • By RotoWire

  Dowdle recorded five rushes for nine yards in Saturday's 34-31 wild-card loss to the Rams. He added one reception on two targets for six yards. Dowdle has been particularly inefficient to close the season, averaging only 3.3 yards per carry across Carolina's final four regular-season contests. He also lost his status as the team's lead back in the playoff loss, with Chuba Hubbard out-touching Dowdle 15-6. Dowdle is headed to free agency for the second consecutive offseason, and he is likely to be signed as a complementary back given his fade down the stretch after a strong start to 2025.

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• Panthers' Rico Dowdle: Forgettable afternoon in loss

  01/04/2026 • By RotoWire

  Dowdle rushed seven times for 10 yards and brought in both targets for 20 yards in the Panthers' 16-14 loss to the Buccaneers on Saturday. He also lost a fumble and recovered another. Neither Dowdle nor Chuba Hubbard had any success against the Buccaneers' stout defensive front, with each back netting only 10 rushing yards. Dowdle made an impact with a 25-yard grab on one of his catches, while his other reception resulted in a five-yard loss. Additionally, his lost fumble came early in the fourth quarter at the Buccaneers' 24-yard line on a botched trick play, and while it didn't lead to points since Chase McLaughlin had a 38-yard field-goal attempt blocked, it certainly robbed Carolina of what seemed to be a high-percentage scoring opportunity. Despite the disappointing finale, Dowdle had plenty of important contributions in his first Panthers season on his way to 1,076 rushing yards and six touchdowns alongside a 39-297-1 receiving line over 17 games, and he'll continue to play a key role in next weekend's wild-card round if the Falcons defeat the Saints on Sunday and make the Panthers the NFC South champions in the process.

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