3. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

Elliott got touchy with the media this offseason when the narrative emerged that he lost a step. On Twitter, the running back proclaimed, “There are a lot of great backs in this league but I don’t understand why the media has to talk down on my game just to uplift other backs. We all are talented football players and can ball.”

In all likelihood, the media’s criticism emerged from several points. First, Elliott averaged the fewest rushing yards per game of his career this past season (84.8). Second, other former All-Pro backs like Le’Veon Bell and Todd Gurley suffered setbacks, which has left football fans wary about high profile running backs.

However, the emergence of Saquon Barkley as a dominant force in the NFC East and the arrival of Miles Sanders could also play a role in the media’s narrative. The NFC East’s two rising stars stole some of the spotlight from Elliott this past season. That doesn’t mean the former All-Pro performed poorly.

Elliott carried the ball 301 times last year for 1,357 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 5,405 rushing yards are unparalleled since he entered the league in 2016.

Since we’re talking about skill players, I’ll give an honorable mention to Amari Cooper. The Alabama product made the fourth Pro Bowl of his career this past season. However, Cooper found himself shut down in several clutch situations.