Ezekiel Elliott is carelessly being ignored in fantasy football
It is unlikely for many people to accept that Ezekiel Elliott, who made headlines by rejoining the Dallas Cowboys this spring, is the same athlete who was once a fantasy football sensation both statistically and physically. Elliott, who was drafted in 2016, led numerous fantasy managers to championships while finishing as one of the top five fantasy running backs in three of his first four NFL seasons. Elliott scored 12 touchdowns per season even in his last two seasons in Dallas, when backup Tony Pollard pressed him for touches, mostly receptions. He ranked in the top 20 players overall and as the sixth-best fantasy running back in 2021.
Elliott, who turns 29 in July, may not be as crazy a suggestion as one may think, and he is unquestionably a guy to watch. However, it seems unlikely that the current Elliott will become an RB1. Before the 2023 season, Elliott and the Cowboys parted ways, with Pollard getting the most of the running back touches. However, Pollard is currently vying for playing time with the Tennessee Titans. Elliott’s stats from his one and only season with the New England Patriots can be dissected, but how many Patriots went on to succeed? Are there any that you can locate? Four games were won by the rebuilding Patriots.
Elliott’s season without the Dallas Cowboys had enough advantages to offer a clear path to fantasy relevance this season, should the Cowboys let it to happen, which they might. With a weak offensive line and poor quarterback play, Elliott likely had little chance as a traditional runner for the Patriots. However, he did catch 51 passes, 27 of which came in the final five weeks when he took on the full job in the absence of an injured Rhamondre Stevenson. Even though Pollard took over as the offense’s primary wide receiver for the entirety of the 2022 Dallas season, Elliott still caught 17 catches, so it’s not like Elliott lost his ability to do so. He demonstrated it last season.
During the final six games of 2023, Elliott averaged 20 touches per game and three touchdowns. No, his burst or ability to break tackles did not resemble the athlete he once was, but he was still a shrewd player with the body and nose for the end zone. Elliott demonstrated his ability to catch passes and maintain his blocking prowess, two requirements that should secure him plenty of snaps. Elliott is clearly motivated. Even at 225 pounds, Elliott is still a devastating player. We can argue about how many touches the Cowboys plan to give him in order to avoid giving him too much information, particularly in the pass-catching role, but you can be sure he will get touchdowns and short-yardage plays.
For this reason, Elliott looks like a mistake to ignore in fantasy. Even though he is one of the sport’s elder starting running backs and is unlikely to relive the fullness of his previous success, fantasy managers don’t need to depend heavily on his being that same player statistically. Elliott requires snaps, and although Rico Dowdle supported Pollard last season with an average of 4.1 yards per run, he rarely appeared smooth when catching passes. In the open field, Dowdle is not as good as Pollard and has struggled to maintain his fitness. The Cowboys concentrated on free agency and other draft slots.Do not assume that Dowdle, Royce Freeman, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, or Snoop Conner will appear as a third-down option to grab passes. The Cowboys are willing to consider new ideas, but Elliott is eager to show them that he can take the pressure.
Elliott proved he could play for a terrible Patriots offense the previous year, but the Cowboys are not that team. As with 2021, it wouldn’t be out of the question to anticipate him to get close to or over 1,000 running yards and ten touchdowns once more. He recorded 12 touchdowns in 2022, and if he hadn’t missed two midseason games, he very likely would have reached 1,000 rushing yards.
Elliott’s efficiency was not as high as it was during his first few seasons, but volume is also a significant factor. Elliott appears to be the only running back in this backfield who will receive as much volume as possible. The offense is skilled enough to give its top back over 250 touches, many of which come in favorable circumstances, even if quarterback Dak Prescott attempts 600 passes.
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