Rico Dowdle Fantasy Football Week 1: Stats and Projections vs. Falcons

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle will take on the team with last season's 24th-ranked rushing defense, the Atlanta Falcons (126.2 yards allowed per game), in Week 1 -- beginning at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

With Dowdle's next game versus the Falcons, should you consider him for your daily fantasy lineup? Scroll down for more stats and info.

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Rico Dowdle Week 1 Fantasy Football Projection

• Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Atlanta Falcons
• Game Date: September 13, 2026
• Game Time: 1 p.m.
• Projected Fantasy Points: 10.8
• PPR Projected Fantasy Points: 11.7
• Projected Rushing Yards: 66.60
• Projected Rushing TDs: 0.40
• Projected Receiving Yards: 12.22
• Projected Receiving TDs: 0.11

Projections provided by numberFire

Dowdle 2025 Fantasy Performance

• With 177.3 fantasy points (10.4 per game), Dowdle was 16th at his position (and 48th in the league).
• Dowdle picked up 29.9 fantasy points -- 30 carries, 183 yards; 4 receptions, 56 yards, 1 TD -- in his best game last season, in Week 6 versus the Dallas Cowboys.
• In his second-best fantasy performance last year, Dowdle finished with 29.4 points (23 carries, 206 yards, 1 TD; 3 receptions, 28 yards) in Week 5 versus the Miami Dolphins.
• In his worst game of the year, Dowdle ended up with 1.0 fantasy points -- 7 carries, 10 yards. That happened in Week 18 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Dowdle collected 1.5 fantasy points -- 5 carries, 9 yards -- in his second-worst game of the season. That was in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams.

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Falcons Defensive Performance

• Last year, Atlanta allowed only one quarterback to amass over 300 passing yards in a game.
• The Falcons allowed at least one passing touchdown to 13 opposing QBs last season.
• In the passing game, Atlanta allowed nine players to throw at least two touchdowns in a game last year.
• Last year, the Falcons allowed four players to throw for at least three TDs in a game.
• Atlanta allowed four players rack up more than 100 receiving yards in a game last year.
• Against the Falcons last season, 24 players caught a TD pass.
• Atlanta gave up two or more receiving touchdowns through the air to just three players last season.
• On the ground, two players racked up more than 100 rushing yards in a game against the Falcons last season.
• In terms of run defense, Atlanta gave up at least one rushing touchdown to nine players last season.
• Only two players ran for multiple scores in a game versus the Falcons last year.

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