Bijan Robinson vs Rico Dowdle: Who Should You Start?
Bijan Robinson and Rico Dowdle are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Atlanta Falcons running back averaged 19.5 PPG in 2025, a full 7.9 points per game ahead of Rico Dowdle's 11.6 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
Bijan Robinson carries a 7.9-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Bijan Robinson is the receiving back in this matchup, turning 79 targets into 820 yards, while Rico Dowdle profiles as a more traditional rusher with 1076 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. In PPR and half-PPR formats Bijan Robinson carries the higher weekly floor. In standard leagues the gap tightens considerably.
Bijan Robinson has his bye in Week 12, and Rico Dowdle rests in Week 9. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
