Ezekiel Elliott DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was seldom used in the Week 3 loss. Given that his role is more of an early-down grinder type of back at this stage in his career, the game script was not favorable for Elliott today as Dallas was playing from behind all game. He rushed three times for six yards and caught a pass for six yards. Elliott and the Cowboys have a tight turnaround, as they will suit up on Thursday against the Giants.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has seen an even split in workload with Rico Dowdle thus far in 2024. The veteran has carried the ball 16 times for 56 yards and a touchdown while reaching up four catches for 25 yards through two games. This week's matchup with Baltimore is not favorable, as the Ravens have surrendered the least rushing yards in the league through two games. Elliott will likely split work with Dowdle again, and will need a touchdown to pay off in fantasy. Look elsewhere for a running back option this week.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was limited to just 32 total yards in Sunday's 44-19 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Elliott recorded six rushes for 16 yards and added two catches on three targets for 16 yards. With the Saints scoring 35 points in the first half, the Cowboys were forced to abandon the run and shift to a pass-heavy game plan, significantly reducing Elliott's opportunities. The Cowboys struggled offensively, entering the red zone only three times, where Elliott is typically featured. Fantasy managers may want to consider other options in Week 3, as the Cowboys face a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, who allowed just 27 rushing yards to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott could be a touchdown-dependent fantasy play in Week 2 against New Orleans. In Week 1, Elliot rushed 10 times for 40 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for nine yards against the Browns. His day was salvaged by a touchdown and he and Rico Dowdle basically alternated drives at Cleveland. The reality, however, is Elliott could be a TD machine in the high-powered Cowboys' offense and that could be the case in Week 2 against the Saints. His limited rushing opportunities in what looks like a shared backfield make him a somewhat risky proposition for fantasy purposes week in and week out. But until proven otherwise, the Ohio State product is a solid bet to find paydirt each week and could fall into the end zone multiple times in any given matchup. There are better options for volume at the position in fantasy but Elliott looks like he could be a decent RB2 play this week.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott led the Cowboys backfield in a Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns. "Zeke" ran the ball 10 times, gaining 40 yards and scoring a touchdown. He added nine yards on two receptions, catching both of his targets. It was a mostly even split in the backfield between Elliott and Rico Dowdle, who ran eight times. This pattern will likely continue, but will get even more crowded once Dalvin Cook is up to speed and joins the backfield as well. It could be tough to choose what Cowboys running back will be fantasy relevant each week, but Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints could be more illuminating.