Ezekiel Elliott 2023 Outlook
From one free agent to another. Whereas Kareem Hunt returning to the Cleveland Browns is most likely off the table, Ezekiel Elliott may yet be in a Dallas Cowboys uniform come September. A former fourth overall draft pick, Elliott was released in March as a salary cap move, with Tony Pollard ascending to the RB1 role in Dallas. Now Elliott has gone unsigned for a few months, and very few seats are remaining in the annual game of free agency musical chairs. Like Hunt, Elliott will be 28 at the start of the new season, and he’s had a more productive, less problematic career than Hunt by far. A four-time 1,000-yard rusher and three-time Pro Bowler, Elliott’s best days are no doubt behind him but he does have tread on the tires and could thrive in the right situation, perhaps splitting carries with Rachaad White in Tampa Bay. As with Hunt, there’s really no reason to draft and stash Elliott until he lands in a new home and you can gauge whether he has a path to fantasy relevance, be it a goal-line TD hawk or a consistent third-down option to handcuff to a starter.
Ezekiel Elliott 2022 Outlook
Mike Fisher of SI.com believes Elliott, the NFL's highest-paid running back "almost certainly" will not return to the team in 2023 as his $90 million contract is currently constructed. But he will just as certainly be their starting running back in 2022. ... Elliott endured one of his worst seasons as a pro for the Cowboys in 2021 while limited by a partially torn PCL. He still totaled 1,002 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, but he averaged a career-low 58.9 yards per game and just 4.2 yards per carry, the third-lowest mark of his career. He added 287 receiving yards and two TDs on 47 catches. Pro Football Focus had Elliot finishing as the No. 32 RB among 62 qualifiers. ... But as Fisher wrote, "Book this: Zeke will not be playing for this team under this existing contract in the 2023 season. He will almost certainly be cut and/or offered a new pay-cut deal. ..." It's something for those with Dynasty investments in Elliott to consider. But shorter term? Redrafters should remember his overall RB7 performance in 2021 was based more on his ability to play through injury and remain on the field despite it. He was among only three top-16 RBs to play in every game. In fact, he and Jonathan Taylor and Najee Harris were the only RBs to start all 17 games. That's worth something, especially with the discounted price this year.
Ezekiel Elliott 2021 Outlook
After posting career-low numbers last season, the Cowboys are hoping for a resurgence from Elliott in 2021. While the star running back chose not to participate in the team's voluntary workouts, quarterback Dak Prescott says Elliott is working hard to get back into form. "Zeke looks great," Prescott said. "He's in the best shape of his life. Looking fast. His cuts, just how explosive he is. Excited to have a full year with him again and getting him healthy throughout the whole season. ..." Meanwhile, last year's career-low numbers were aided by nagging injuries to both Elliott and the Cowboys' offensive line in 2020, not to mention the loss of Prescott himself after the QB suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5. With Prescott ready to look past a marred 2020 season, the Cowboys' high-powered offense is poised for a big return with a healthier offensive line and arguably one of the most talented wide receiving corps in the league. Worth remember: With Prescott at the helm, Elliott averaged 22.5 fantasy points, and as SI.com noted, was the No. 3 running back during that five game span. With Prescott on track to return, betting a mid- to late-first round pick on an Elliott rebound doesn't seem like a huge gamble.
