David Montgomery vs Rico Dowdle: Who Should You Start?
Deciding between David Montgomery and Rico Dowdle is a common lineup dilemma for fantasy managers. The Houston Texans running back put up 9.1 PPG in 2025 over 17 games; Rico Dowdle of the Pittsburgh Steelers averaged 11.6 in 17. A 2.5-point margin that could shift on any given week.
The per-game difference of 2.5 points favors Rico Dowdle, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one running back to the other.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. David Montgomery ran for 716 yards and 8 touchdowns; Rico Dowdle posted 1076 and 6. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
David Montgomery has his bye in Week 14, 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.
