The Steelers are getting a timely lift in the backfield before their Week 6 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, running back Rico Dowdle is expected to play Sunday after being sidelined since Week 2 with a toe injury.
Dowdle’s injury came in the Patriots game, where he dislocated his toe twice. He missed the next game against the Indianapolis Colts, but after getting back on the practice field last week and going through another full week of work, he now looks ready to rejoin the offense.
"Steelers RB Rico Dowdle (questionable, toe) is expected to play Sunday vs. Bucs, per source. Dowdle has been out since Week 2."
Pittsburgh has been dealing with plenty of offensive injuries around him. The team is without wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) and Roman Wilson (finger), both of whom are on Injured Reserve. Ben Skowronek (calf) is out too, and tight end Pat Freiermuth (calf) also appeared on the injury report during the final practice day, just a day before kickoff.
Even with Dowdle on the way back, Jaylen Warren remains the centerpiece of the ground game. Since Dowdle went down, Warren has posted more than 100 total yards in all three games. He topped 100 rushing yards twice in that stretch, and in Week 5 against the Colts he piled up 101 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Head coach Mike McCarthy made it clear that Warren’s role is not changing.
"Jaylen’s our featured player right now. Let’s make sure we all recognize that.
He’s hot. He’s playing great football for us,” McCarthy said.
"So it’s important for us as an offense, you know, coaches and players alike, to continue to put him in position to make plays. So, that won’t change."
That means Dowdle should have a chance to contribute right away, but Warren’s workload doesn’t figure to shrink much. With the Steelers thin at receiver and tight end, the offense may lean even more heavily on its running backs in the weeks ahead, making Dowdle’s return especially valuable.
After a rough stretch of injury news on offense, Pittsburgh finally gets something positive going into Sunday: help in the backfield.
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