Oct 19, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs with the ball while being defended by New York Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons (72) in the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

NFL analyst has good prediction for Rico Dowdle fantasy owners

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Russell Baxter | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 6:00 AM ET

They look like two teams headed in opposite directions. One team has won three straight games after a 1-3 start. The other is a defending division champion that has dropped two in a row after winning its first four contests.

Matt Okada is a fantasy analyst for NFL.com. He has his eye on this Sunday’s clash between the suddenly-hot Carolina Panthers and the slumping Buffalo Bills in Charlotte. While he didn’t pick a winner between the clubs, he anticipates that Canales’s rejuvenated running attack will have its way with McDermott’s defense this weekend.

“Sometimes, when an unstoppable force meets a very moveable object, " explained Okada, "strange things happen in the NFL. This week, Rico Dowdle and the red-hot Panthers’ rush attack draw a matchup with a soft Bills’ defense allowing the second-most rushing yards per game this season.”

The last time the Bills took the field, they were on the wrong end of a 24-14 decision on a Monday night to the Falcons at Atlanta. Led by Bijan Robinson, the Falcons rolled up 210 yards on the ground. It was the second time this season that Buffalo surrendered a double C-note in rushing yards, so…

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

“Dowdle will rip off multiple explosive plays against this unit,” added Okada, “Carolina will top 200 rushing yards as a team and what might look like a blowout on paper will be decided by three points or fewer in the final minute.”

Only the rival Miami Dolphins (159.3) are allowing more yards per game on the ground than the Bills (156.3). The latter has limited only one of its first six opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing this season.

Meanwhile, the Panthers have run for a brisk 193.3 yards per outing during their current three-game winning streak. That’s a big jump from their first four contests, when they ran for just 100.3 yards per game. The combo of Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard—the latter getting the start last Sunday vs. the Jets after missing two straight games—may be a bit too much for the Bills’ troubled defense.

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

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