Rico Dowdle injury update: Dallas Cowboys make final decision on RB, per report

Dallas Cowboys (3-3) running back Rico Dowdle is out for Sunday’s Week 8 road tilt against the San Francisco 49ers (3-4), per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Dowdle is a late addition to the inactives list after arriving to Levi’s Stadium with an illness.

With Dowdle sidelined, it will be the Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook show in the Cowboys’ backfield. The latter is making his team debut after signing to the practice squad ahead of the season opener. Dowdle’s absent will be felt, as he is the team’s leading rusher this season.

Dallas has rushed for an NFL-low 463 yards, a 77.2 average per game. Dowdle has seen the lion’s share of the carries, rushing for 246 yards on 4.2 yards per carry. The Cowboys have just two rushing touchdowns this season, one coming from Elliott and the other from quarterback Dak Prescott. Dallas is the only team without a run of 20 or more yards.

Cowboys to lean on Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook with Rico Dowdle sidelined

A four-time Pro Bowler, Cook rushed for 1,000 plus yards in each season from 2019-22 but had his toughest season to date in 2023. Following his release from the Minnesota Vikings (5-2), Cook signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets (2-6). New York’s offense struggled as a whole, with Cook rushing for a career-low 214 yards on 3.2 yards per carry in 15 games.

The two sides mutually agreed to part ways after the regular season, and Cook signed with the Baltimore Ravens (5-3) for the playoffs. In Baltimore’s 34-10 Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans (6-2), Cook rushed for 23 yards on eight carries.

We’ll see if Cook can provide a jolt to an offense which desperately needs it. The 49ers have done a solid job at stopping the run this season, giving up just 112.9 yards per game on the ground.