Start David Montgomery or Rico Dowdle? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start David Montgomery over Rico Dowdle in Week 5.

Market-based projections have David Montgomery at 10.0 points and Rico Dowdle at 8.4, a gap of 1.6. Rico Dowdle's number is scaled up from a partial market: not every stat the position needs is posted yet, so the rest is estimated from what is.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 10.0 fantasy points for David Montgomery, with 100 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

The market has David Montgomery at 43.5 rushing yards, 7.5 receiving yards and 1.5 receptions, with a 43% chance to score a touchdown (17, 11, 14 and 18 market sources).

Player markets imply 8.4 fantasy points for Rico Dowdle, with 70 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

The market gives Rico Dowdle a 35% chance to score a touchdown (9 market sources).

That puts David Montgomery 1.6 points ahead of Rico Dowdle on the market projections.

Injury status

David Montgomery is not on the injury report.

Rico Dowdle is listed as questionable with a toe injury.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, David Montgomery played 54 percent of HOU snaps, took 52 percent of the carries, drew 5 percent of the targets and had 35 percent of the red zone chances.

David Montgomery, Week 1 against BUF: 39 of 79 snaps, 20 carries for 60 yards, 3 targets and 3 catches for 19 yards, 3 touchdowns.

David Montgomery, Week 2 against CIN: 42 of 80 snaps, 6 carries for 10 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 14 yards.

David Montgomery, Week 3 against IND: 34 of 54 snaps, 11 carries for 33 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 15 yards.

David Montgomery, Week 4 against DAL: 31 of 55 snaps, 10 carries for 24 yards, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Through Week 2, Rico Dowdle played 42 percent of PIT snaps, took 37 percent of the carries, drew 9 percent of the targets and had 17 percent of the red zone chances.

Rico Dowdle, Week 1 against ATL: 39 of 67 snaps, 8 carries for 15 yards, 5 targets and 2 catches for 6 yards.

Rico Dowdle, Week 2 against NE: 18 of 70 snaps, 7 carries for 22 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 22 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, David Montgomery played 17 games for DET and scored 166.9 PPR points, 9.8 a game, finishing RB27.

He ran 158 times for 716 yards and 8 touchdowns, and caught 24 of 29 targets for 192 yards.

He was on the field for 37 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Rico Dowdle played 17 games for CAR and scored 216.3 PPR points, 12.7 a game, finishing RB18.

He ran 236 times for 1076 yards and 6 touchdowns, and caught 39 of 50 targets for 297 yards.

He was on the field for 56 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Rico Dowdle, Week 18 of 2025 against TB: 27 of 51 snaps, 7 carries for 10 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 20 yards, 3.0 PPR points.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Alvin Kamara over David Montgomery.
• Start Bucky Irving over David Montgomery.
• Start Cam Skattebo over David Montgomery.
• Start Rico Dowdle over Blake Corum.
• Start Rico Dowdle over Brian Robinson.
• Start Rico Dowdle over George Holani.