The Case For Ezekiel Elliott

Take away Ezekiel Elliott’s super weird, ugly to look at 2017 season that never really had much of a chance due to a midseason suspension, and you’ll find a more than capable bell-cow running back who makes the most of his opportunities. 

Elliott typically ranks towards the top of the NFL in terms of carries, but he’s done a good job in his professional career of taking those chances and running with them, literally and metaphorically. The Cowboys running back has ranked first in the league in total rushing yards twice in his four-season career, both times with solid yards per attempt numbers (4.7 in 2018 and a whopping 5.1 in his rookie 2016 season).

In 2019, in the rare season where Elliott didn’t lead the NFL in rushing yards, he still managed to place top five in yards and rushing touchdowns, and had some okay(ish) efficiency in the running game with 4.5 yards a carry.

Elliott’s opportunities may take a hit in 2020, as the Cowboys are clearly leaning into a more “air-it-out” identity with their first-round draft selection of CeeDee Lamb after resigning their WR1 Amari Cooper to a new contract in the offseason. But even still, Elliott will have more than a fair chance to shine in the Dallas offense.

Even last year, with the Cowboys leading the NFL in passing yards, Elliott got over 300 carries and 1,300 yards. His volume on the ground could continue to drop, but 2019 would suggest he won’t see an enormous drop in carries. Even if he does, Elliott is a solid enough pass-catcher to get involved if Dallas really does want to go full air-raid.

The case for another stellar season for Ezekiel Elliott looks clear-cut on paper, but what about for Kamara?