The Carolina Panthers should be understaffed on offense in Week 5. Carolina is already missing Jalen Coker and David Moore, but they could also be without a few more offensive weapons. Chuba Hubbard is dealing with a calf injury and is not expected to play against the Dolphins on Sunday. Carolina could be without tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders as well.
This creates a fascinating fantasy football opportunity for Panthers running back Rico Dowdle.
Carolina will be forced to rely on Dowdle, as well as Trevor Etienne and DeeJay Dallas, at running back if Hubbard misses the game. All three backs could contribute in some role, but Dowdle looks positioned to take over as a lead back.
Dowdle is only rostered in 26.6% of ESPN's fantasy football leagues, which suggests he could be available in your league.
Could Dowdle become a difference maker as a streaming option in fantasy this week?
Will Rico Dowdle be viable for fantasy football in Week 5?
There is no question that Dowdle stands to benefit the most from Hubbard's expected absence.
But the question becomes: how valuable is Dowdle compared to other NFL running backs for fantasy football?
Dowdle proved he can be a lead back with the Cowboys in 2024. He logged 235 carries for 1,079 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season. That was enough to earn Dowdle a free agency contract from the Panthers.
He has flashed some potential early in the season too. Dowdle's best game came against the Panthers, when he had 10 carries for 30 yards and a touchdown. That TD alone made him viable for fantasy football in that matchup.
The Panthers will give Rico every opportunity to succeed against the Dolphins. Let's make that very clear, the touches will be there.
However, it is fair to be skeptical about how valuable those touches will actually be.
Carolina does not have the dominant running game it had back in 2024. This is largely because the offensive line is in tatters.
The Panthers are already without Robert Hunt and Austin Corbett, as both are on injured reserve. Losing two starters has taken a heavy toll on Carolina's running game.
Through four weeks, the Panthers only average 3.9 yards per carry as a team. That barely puts them in the bottom 10 among all NFL teams.
Carolina seems to have noticed and has only attempted 102 attempts through four games, putting them in the bottom half of the league.
Simply put, the Panthers' inefficient running game is not ideal for fantasy football.
Should you pick up Rico Dowdle ahead of Week 5?
Dowdle should be Carolina's lead back in Week 5, but that does not guarantee he'll have a big game against Miami.
Putting aside the inefficiency argument, the Panthers could easily lean on Bryce Young to beat the Dolphins by passing the football.
Miami has arguably the worst secondary in the NFL. They also don't have the horses to keep up with Carolina in a shootout with Tyreek Hill down for the season.
As a result, the Panthers could forego their running game and instead air the ball out to Tetairoa McMillan and friends.
Ultimately, you should view Rico Dowdle as a touchdown-dependent streaming option in fantasy for Week 5. His path to touches is arguably improved, but this is not a great matchup to take advantage of it.
Cardinals running back Michael Carter is a better streaming option. But if you can't pick him up, Dowdle is a nice backup plan.
