Dowdle
RB · PIT vs CLE
Proj pts
9.9pts
opportunity
Johnson
RB · KC vs LV
Proj pts
8.5pts
market
Emmett Johnson or Rico Dowdle: who should I start in Week 4?
Start Rico Dowdle. Bench Emmett Johnson. Rico Dowdle leads at 9.9. Emmett Johnson is the first one out, 1.4 short.
Availability & news
Rico DowdlePractice: DNP
Emmett Johnson
Johnson carried the ball six times for 17 yards and returned one kickoff for 31 yards in Kansas City's 24-10 win over the Dolphins on Sunday.(rotowire, Sep 29, 2026)
Highlights
Pros
- Positive game scriptFavored
- Big-play upside50% boom weeks
Cons
- Committee back13% of touches
- Boom-or-bust50% bust weeks
Some recent form, opportunity and matchup figures still lean on the 2025 season (not enough games played this season yet).
Week 4 · Updated Tue 29 Sep, 6:00 AM ET
The widest gap between them, in proportion, is red zone carries: Dowdle 35, Johnson 1.
Dowdle is listed: Practice: DNP.
Johnson: “Johnson carried the ball six times for 17 yards and returned one kickoff for 31 yards in Kansas City's 24-10 win over the Dolphins on Sunday.” — RotoWire, Sep 29, 2026.
Latest game on the card: Dowdle 6.4 (PPR points).
Why Rico Dowdle
Start Rico Dowdle — projects 9.9, an even matchup vs CLE, but the role is cooling.
Rico Dowdle projects 9.9 points on a 7.7–14.1 range. The matchup grades as neutral against CLE. Usage: carries / game at 13.9. Net: start Rico Dowdle this week.
Where Dowdle leads the head-to-head: Projection (9.9 vs 8.5); Touch share (35% vs 13%); Opportunity score (13.0 vs 5.3); Last 5 avg (6.6 vs 5.3); Bust rate (29% vs 50%); Carries / game (13.9 vs 5.3); Touches / game (16.2 vs 6.7); Target share (11% vs 4%); Yards per carry (4.6 vs 3.5); Snap share (56% vs 27%); Goal line carries (9 vs 0); Red zone carries (35 vs 1).
Why Emmett Johnson
Sit Emmett Johnson — projects 8.5, an even matchup vs LV.
Emmett Johnson projects 8.5 points. The matchup grades as neutral against LV. Usage: carries / game at 5.3. Net: bench Emmett Johnson this week.
Working for Johnson: Positive game script (Favored), Big-play upside (50% boom weeks).
Working against Johnson: Committee back (13% of touches), Boom-or-bust (50% bust weeks).
Where Johnson leads the head-to-head: Matchup grade (recency weighted) (B vs B-); Implied team total (26.0 vs 20.5); Last 3 avg (5.3 vs 5.2); vs season (+0.0 vs -3.1); Consistency (32% vs 26%); Boom rate (50% vs 18%).
Recent form
Rico Dowdle's last 5 games: PPR points 8.3, 9.3, 5, 4.1, 6.4 (oldest to newest).
Emmett Johnson's last 3 games: PPR points 1.7, 5.5, 8.8 (low to high; the card does not say which came first).
Dowdle has already beaten Johnson's 8.5 projection in 1 of his 5; Johnson has beaten Dowdle's 9.9 in 0 of his 3.
At least 1 of these 5 games was played before the 2026 season.
Matchup
Rico Dowdle (PIT) played CLE (final: CLE 27 – 24 PIT). The matchup is rated neutral. Betting line: implied team total 20.5, spread -2.5.
Emmett Johnson (KC) faces LV, kickoff Sun, Oct 4, 4:25 PM ET. The matchup is rated neutral. Betting line: implied team total 26.0, spread -4.5.
More start/sit comparisons from this week's PPR projections. Open a pair for the call and the reasoning.
More Rico Dowdle comparisons
- Kenny Gainwell or Rico Dowdle9.9 · 9.9
- Rico Dowdle or Travis Etienne9.9 · 10.5
- Emanuel Wilson or Rico Dowdle11.5 · 9.9
This week's toughest calls
- Chuba Hubbard or James Cook21.7 · 21.7
- Alvin Kamara or David Montgomery17.3 · 17.3
- Aaron Jones or Jeremiyah Love22.7 · 22.6
- Alvin Kamara or Quinshon Judkins17.3 · 17.3
- Bhayshul Tuten or Bucky Irving16.8 · 16.8
- Omarion Hampton or Woody Marks12.2 · 12.2
- More RB start/sit calls (running backs this week)