Rico Dowdle

Rico Dowdle — Active

The 15 touches were a season high for Dowdle, but he still took a back seat to Jaylen Warren's 21 touches and 137 scrimmage yards in the Steelers' backfield. Dowdle also led the team in receptions on the day, and his own 86 combined yards were a season high. Pittsburgh could stay with its ground-heavy game plan in Week 8 against Cleveland, giving Dowdle some fantasy appeal even in his backup role.

Rico Dowdle — Active

After missing three straight games due to a dislocated toe, Dowdle made his return to action in last week's overtime win over the Buccaneers, finishing with 40 yards on seven carries and nine yards on three receptions. However, he seemingly emerged from that contest with a new knee issue, which limited his participation in Week 7 prep and resulted in him being listed as questionable heading into Sunday. The Steelers were apparently encouraged enough by how Dowdle looked in pregame warmups to clear him to play against the Saints, and the 28-year-old should be ready to work in his usual complementary role behind lead back Jaylen Warren.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

A limited participant participant all week, Dowdle seems more likely than not to play. He's no longer listed with the toe injury that kept him out for multiple games, instead dealing with a knee issue. Pittsburgh's inactive list will be released around 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

The Steelers did not practice Friday because of poor weather in Paris, but if they had Dowdle would have been limited with the knee injury -- different than the toe issue he was dealing with previously -- for a third straight day. The Steelers will practice Saturday and could provide an update on Dowdle's status after the session concludes, otherwise his status for Week 7 will be revealed when Pittsburgh releases its inactives 90 minutes before Sunday's 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

Thursday marked another limited session for Dowdle, who has been dealing with a knee issue in the lead-up to the Steelers' upcoming game against the Saints. He will have a chance to ramp up to a full practice on Friday before the Steelers make a final call on his gameday status.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

Dowdle had missed three consecutive games due to a dislocated toe on his right foot before returning to action for this past Sunday's 26-19 overtime win over the Buccaneers. While playing 21 of the Steelers' 79 offensive snaps, Dowdle finished with seven carries for 40 yards and added three catches for nine yards, but he appears to have emerged from the contest with a new injury. His ability to practice in any capacity to begin Week 7 is generally a good sign, but Dowdle may need to upgrade to full participation by Friday to avoid carrying a designation into Sunday's game against the Saints in Paris.

Rico Dowdle — Active

Seeing his first action since Week 2 after recovering from a toe issue, Dowdle took a back seat to Jaylen Warren in terms of touches (16 to 10) and scrimmage yards (78 to 49). The volume was still encouraging for Dowdle given how dominant Warren had been during his absence, but the split doesn't help the fantasy value of either RB. Dowdle may need to get into the end zone to make an impact in Week 7 against the Saints in Paris.

Rico Dowdle — Active

Dowdle had teed up his active status by finishing Week 6 prep with consecutive full practices. The veteran offseason addition, who missed the last three games due to a toe dislocation, had been working in a true timeshare with Jaylen Warren over the first two games of the season, but the latter's 321 rushing yards, 169 receiving yards and two total touchdowns during Dowdle's absence will keep him in a clear lead-back role while Dowdle serves as a complementary option against a stout Buccaneers run defense.

Rico Dowdle — Active

Dowdle has been sidelined exiting a loss to the Patriots in Week 2, when he dislocated the same toe on his right foot twice. After logging back-to-back full practices to cap Week 6 prep, he's expected to put an end to a three-game absence and rejoin Jaylen Warren out of the Steelers backfield. Considering how well Warren has performed as the lead back over the past three weeks, head coach Mike McCarthy has already indicated Dowdle will slide back into a complementary role instead of splitting touches with Warren like he had prior to getting hurt.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

Steelers offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio said Monday that he was expecting Dowdle to return this week. The team isn't ready to commit to it, but back-to-back full practices suggest he's ready to play unless there's a last-minute setback. Steelers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters that Jaylen Warren has earned a larger role even when Dowdle is healthy, which means the two RBs won't alternate drives in a 50/50 split the way they did at the beginning of the season. Pittsburgh's inactive list will be posted at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

Dowdle upgraded to full participation Thursday after being limited Wednesday, putting him on track to return Sunday against the Buccaneers following a three-game absence. Jaylen Warren seized control of Pittsburgh's backfield with 490 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns during the three games Dowdle sat out, so Warren is expected to continue working in the lead role Sunday, with Dowdle on hand in a complementary capacity.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

The Steelers are optimistic that Dowdle will put an end to a three-game absence and suit up Sunday against the Buccaneers, but he may need to upgrade to full practice participation by Friday in order to avoid taking a designation into the weekend. If Dowdle is cleared to play Sunday, he'll be in store for a lesser role than what he had previously handled, as Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy indicated earlier in the week that Jaylen Warren has earned the right to remain in a bell-cow role out of the backfield.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

questionable

Rico Dowdle — Out

Though he managed three limited practices in Week 5, Dowdle ultimately missed a third straight game in Sunday's eventual 34-22 win over the Colts. The Steelers seem optimistic that Dowdle will upgrade to full practice participation at some point this week to put him on a path to play versus Tampa Bay, but if available, the 28-year-old could be ticketed for limited snaps in a backup role. Jaylen Warren has accounted for 490 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns across the past three games, with his performance prompting head coach Mike McCarthy to label him Monday as the featured option out of the backfield, per Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. McCarthy previously suggested that Warren and Dowdle would form a "one-two punch" out of the backfield when both are healthy, but Warren's stellar play has changed that plan.

Rico Dowdle — Out

out

Rico Dowdle — Out

The veteran running back will miss a third consecutive game while tending to the toe injury he sustained in a Week 2 loss to the Patriots. Dowdle was able to practice in limited fashion during each session of Week 5 prep, so there appears to be a good chance he manages to gain clearance for a Week 6 road matchup against the Buccaneers next Sunday. Meanwhile, Jaylen Warren, who's logged 23 touches apiece in each of the first two games Dowdle has missed, will continue in a workhorse role out of the Steelers backfield against Indianapolis on Sunday.

Rico Dowdle — Out

inactive

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

While Dowdle was listed as limited during the entirety of Week 5 prep and went into the weekend as questionable to play, he appears destined to miss a third consecutive contest due to a lingering toe injury. If Dowdle is indeed inactive when the Steelers post their list approximately 90 minutes before a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, Jaylen Warren again will handle a workhorse role out of the backfield.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

A limited practice participant throughout the week, Dowdle now enters the weekend with a chance to return from a two-game absence. If he's active for Pittsburgh, he won't necessarily jump right back into the 50/50 split that he and Jaylen Warren operated in at the beginning of the year. Warren thrived in Dowdle's absence and isn't on the injury report, so he looks like a solid fantasy start even if Dowdle avoids the inactive list ahead of a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff this Sunday.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

Dowdle practiced for the second day in a row, albeit with a cap on his reps. Earlier Thursday, head coach Mike McCarthy told Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com that Dowdle's status for Sunday's game against the Colts is still up in the air, though the running back would put himself in good position to play this weekend if he's able to upgrade to full practice participation Friday. If Dowdle ultimately suits up versus the Colts, he'll likely be Option 1B in the backfield behind Jaylen Warren, who has averaged 6.5 yards per carry and 13.7 yards per reception over the past two weeks while Dowdle has been sidelined with a dislocated toe on his right foot.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

Dowdle was listed as limited at Wednesday's practice after missing the past two games due to a dislocated toe. Jaylen Warren has functioned as Pittsburgh's lead back in Dowdle's absence, but McCarthy has said the team intends to return to a backfield platoon once Dowdle is healthy enough to resume playing. Dowdle's status for Sunday's game has yet to be decided, so how he fares in practice Thursday and Friday will be key to assessing his availability.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

Earlier Wednesday, head coach Mike McCarthy told Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Dowdle would be part of the rehab group to begin Week 5 prep, but the running back was apparently able to fit in enough work behind the scenes to log his first practice activity since dislocating a toe in the Steelers' Week 2 loss to New England. Given that he's missed the Steelers' past two games, Dowdle may need to upgrade to full practice participation by the end of the week in order to get cleared to play Sunday versus the Colts. If Dowdle is available this weekend, McCarthy has previously indicated that he would likely reclaim his spot in a backfield timeshare with Jaylen Warren, who has thrived while handling an every-down role over the past two games.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

Dowdle has been sidelined for Pittsburgh's last two games due to an injury that he relayed Tuesday was a dislocated toe on his right foot, per Will Graves of the Associated Press. He said that he dislocated the toe twice during the Steelers' Week 2 loss to the Patriots, checking back into the game for a brief spell after popping the toe back in before it popped back out again. He sounds like he's making some progress, but he'll likely need to practice in some fashion Thursday and/or Friday to have a shot at playing Sunday versus the Colts. Jaylen Warren has handled heavy workloads the past two weeks in Dowdle's absence, though McCarthy told Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com on Monday that he envisions the two backs forming a "one-two punch" once Dowdle returns to action.

Rico Dowdle — Questionable

questionable

Rico Dowdle — Out

Dowdle's right toe injury has kept him out for the past two games, with his consecutive absences enabling Jaylen Warren to take on a heightened role out of the backfield as Pittsburgh's clear top option. Though Warren has ran efficiently (6.5 yards per carry) on heavy volume (34 totes) while chipping in six receptions for 82 yards over the last two weeks, McCarthy emphasized that Dowdle will likely remain part of a "one-two punch" with Warren once he returns. Before sustaining the injury in Week 2, Dowdle had struggled to find open running room, taking his 15 carries for just 37 yards (2.5 average).

Rico Dowdle — Out

out

Rico Dowdle — Out

inactive

Rico Dowdle — Out

Dowdle will miss a second straight game after he was unable to practice in any fashion on a short week. With Dowdle out of the mix again, Jaylen Warren looks primed to handle a workhorse role out of the Pittsburgh backfield, after he logged 56 of 62 snaps and handled 20 touches (17 carries, three receptions) for 176 yards in a 30-27 win over the Bengals last week.