Dowdle ends his productive 2024 with another workhorse game and touchdown score. He finishes with 235 carries for 1,079 yards, two rushing touchdowns and two fumbles, adding 39 receptions for 249 yards and three receiving touchdowns. Entering 2024 with a murky backfield, the Cowboys decided not to add much and Dowdle eventually took over with what became a fantasy RB2 season. He wasn’t the most efficient or explosive, but did enough to maintain a lead role for a non-playoff team. The Cowboys could be looking to add to the backfield after ignoring the running back position last offseason, giving Dowdle competition. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on the situation as Dowdle is an RB2 with this exact role next season, but he did not do anything special to make it out of the offseason unscathed.

Dowdle surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season in Sunday’s loss. The Cowboys’ RB1 handled all but six of the team’s rush attempts and saw 61 of his yards come in the fourth quarter as Dallas just looked to grind out the clock with the game well out of reach. Dowdle and the Cowboys will face the Commanders in Week 18 in a game that may feature several of Washington’s backups if they’re able to secure a playoff spot on Sunday night against the Falcons.

Dowdle struggled to find room against the vaunted Buccaneers run defense, notably bottled up by Vita Vea in the middle of the Tampa defensive line. It was the first game in the previous month of play in which Dowdle failed to surpass 100 yards on the ground. To make matters worse for Dowdle’s fantasy managers, Ezekiel Elliott vultured a touchdown from one yard out on his only touch of the game. Dowdle could find the sledding tough again in Week 17 when the Cowboys travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles.