RELATED: See other important free-agent moves here.
Rico Dowdle Contract Terms
After a breakout season with the Dallas Cowboys, North Carolina native and former South Carolina Gamecock Rico Dowdle is heading home for 2025. Garett Podell of CBS Sports reported the former undrafted free agent has inked a deal with the Carolina Panthers for one year and $6.25 million.
Fantasy Football Impact
Dowdle turns his half-season breakout in Dallas into a nice payday with the Panthers. He will team up with Chuba Hubbard to give Bryce Young and the Carolina offense an impactful 1-2 punch out of the backfield.
The good news? In 10 games last season where he saw a snap share of at least 50 percent, Dowdle hit double-digit fantasy points eight times. When the Cowboys gave him touches, he produced like a solid fantasy running back two. The better news? He did it twice more in games where he only got 45 and 25 percent of the snaps, respectively.
Dowdle wasn't well-known before last season, but in 2024, he proved he could produce fantasy points whether as a lead back or in a committee. He finished 2024 on a tear, going over 100 yards on the ground in 4 of his last 6 games. He was efficient in the passing game as well, with five games of five or more catches.
He showed in Dallas that he can put up fantasy points whether used as a back to spell the starter or used to carry the full load. This bodes well for Dowdle in Carolina. Hubbard will likely lead the committee, but at $6.25 million for one year, the Panthers seem poised to give Dowdle a big enough share of the pie that he could have a weekly floor as a flex play with running back two potential. His touches may fluctuate from week to week, and he will put up some duds, but Carolina no doubt brought him in to take a good share of the rushing load in 2025 and boom weeks will follow.
Be sure to bookmark our Player Movement Tracker to stay on top of all the 2025 Offseason Moves!
Fantasy Football Fallout
The Dowdle-shaped hole in the Dallas backfield will be filled by newly acquired Javonte Williams, who I expect will put up numbers similar to those we saw from Dowdle last year.
In Carolina, Dowdle enters a situation that seems cloudy at first, given the presence of Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks. However, Brooks' knee injury means he's unlikely to be a factor again until 2026 at the earliest. Miles Sanders was shown the door, so Dowdle appears set to join Hubbard as the main rushers out of the Carolina backfield. The Panthers showed faith in Hubbard last year when they extended his contract, and I think this move is being made to help keep him fresh throughout the season. Hubbard and Dowdle are similarly-sized players and could be somewhat interchangeable pieces for the Panthers in 2025, a move that could keep both backs fresh and allow Hubbard to retain his value to fantasy managers. The Panthers should be motivated to protect their young quarterback, so an offense featuring plenty of touches for these two talented running backs could be in the offing.
Stock Watch
Risers
Fallers
Overview
Rico Dowdle turned his breakout season in Dallas in 2024 into a nice role with the Panthers in 2025. He should see consistent touches in a pairing with Chuba Hubbard, and his opportunities should translate into reliable fantasy production.
_png)
_png)