Ezekiel Elliott's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott saw eight carries in the blowout loss to Detroit. Elliott only gained 17 yards, rushing at an abysmal 2.1 yards per carry against the tough Lions' front. He saw no passing game usage, severely limiting both his fantasy floor and ceiling. Elliott was severely outplayed by Rico Dowdle, who gained 5.0 yards per carry and also saw receiving usage. The 29-year-old is not a usable fantasy option and can safely be dropped in all formats heading into Dallas' bye week.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott could see more opportunities later in the season, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. Meirov reported that Dallas owner Jerry Jones expressed that the team is "saving him" on 105.3 The Fan when asked about his lack of opportunities. After seeing double-digit rushing attempts in the opening week of the season, Elliott has yet to hit that mark since and has averaged just 2.9 yards per carry in this span. Rico Dowdle has begun to emerge as the lead option in the backfield and has scored in each of the past two games and seen double-digit carries in each of them. Fantasy managers in deeper formats could consider stashing Elliott, but for now, Dowdle has the highest upside on the depth chart.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has seen his role diminish in the past few weeks. Elliott has taken a clear step back to Rico Dowdle, who had 22 touches compared to his six last week. This week, Dallas draws a tough running back matchup against Detroit. With Elliott's diminished workload along with a tough matchup, he should not be started anywhere this week. Elliott can be safely dropped in most formats, as he now serves as Dowdle's handcuff.