Sep 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (left) celebrates with running back Rico Dowdle (5) after scoring a touchdown during the second half of a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Breakout Panthers RB Rico Dowdle is no longer flying under the radar

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Oct 11, 2025 9:30 AM ET

Each new NFL season comes with its own surprises. Heading into the 2025 campaign, nobody expected the Jacksonville Jaguars to be as good as they have been so far. They also didn't expect Daniel Jones to be playing at an MVP level, either.

As for the Carolina Panthers, they've had a few of their own surprises - most of them not all that pleasant. One big exception to the rule is the huge breakout game from backup running back Rico Dowdle last week.

That has earned Dowdle the title of Carolina's breakout player of the year from Brad Gagnon at Bleacher Report.

Rico Dowdle named Panthers' breakout player of the year

"Yes, Dowdle went over 1,000 yards last year in Dallas. But he's upped his yards-per-attempt average from 4.6 to 5.7 this year and has already matched his 2024 rushing touchdown total of two. He's yet to fumble, and he is coming off one of the best offensive performances of the year (234 scrimmage yards in a victory over Miami)."

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Dowdle has shown flashes in the past, to be sure. However, he hasn't had a true lead rusher role at any point since his first year at South Carolina.

After going undrafted, Dowdle landed Dallas, where he played the backup behind a declining Ezekiel Elliott, followed by Tony Pollard.

Dowdle finally got his chance to start in 2024, and he took advantage - racking up 1,079 rushing yards and averaging a strong 4.6 yards per carry. He only scored two touchdowns, though - which may have impacted his market in free agency.

In the end, Dowdle wound up signing a team-friendly one-year, $2.75 million deal with the Panthers.

With Chuba Hubbard out due to a calf injury, Dowdle is once again getting a chance to show what he can do in a RB1 role. Based on what we saw last week, it seems the Panthers, the Cowboys and the Gamecocks may all have had a hidden gem in their backfield that they did not have the vision to see.

If Dowdle can follow last week's monster performance and go off against Dallas, head coach Dave Canales would be foolish to give the lead role back to Hubbard just because it was his before he got injured.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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