Rico Dowdle dealing with illness, questionable for Week 8

Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle received a last minute questionable tag after showing up to the stadium and getting sick. We break down the fantasy football implications and potential replacements.

Game status: Rico Dowdle will be INACTIVE for Week 8 vs. the 49ers, per Tom Pelissero. Pelissero and others are pointing to Dalvin Cook being in line for a big workload on Sunday Night Football. Cook was just elevated off the practice squad while Ezekiel Elliott has been active and getting work every week this season. Elliott seems likely to be the starter, but he and Cook could end up in a workshare with Dowdle inactive. Your guess is as good as mine as to how this will shake out, but my guess is Elliott ends up with more carries and Cook ends up with more yards.

The Dallas Cowboys face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8 and might have to figure out a replacement option in their backfield. The team announced on Sunday afternoon that running back Rico Dowdle became sick after arriving at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. The team’s medical staff is evaluating him and his game status is questionable.

The team will announce inactives at 6:50 p.m. ET, and we’ll get a better handle then on if he’ll play. But even if he’s active, an illness could result in limited snaps if he can’t hold up. It leaves fantasy football managers with some decisions to make.

You could elect to roll the dice with Dowdle. If you are uncertain or he ends up inactive, Ezekiel Elliott is the player to roster from the Cowboys depth chart. He would get the bulk of the work. If he’s rostered in your league, Dalvin Cook offers a little bit of upside. He’s a low floor, modest ceiling option.

If there are no Cowboys available, Giants running back Tyrone Tracy, Jr. is available in 49% of Yahoo! leagues and Steelers backup running back Jaylen Warren is available in 65% of Yahoo! leagues.