What to do with Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard in Week 9 fantasy football

Game day update: Zeke is expected to play on Sunday, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Rico Dowdle has been called up to serve as a third option behind Pollard, but don’t expect him to impact this game in this game unless there’s an injury.

Things have been spiraling downward for Ezekiel Elliot lately, as he has failed to find footing in the Dallas offense since Dak Prescott suffered his season ending injury. Tony Pollard has actually seen an uptick in usage in that time, but things have been equally as difficult for him. Elliot and Pollard are unlikely to be granted reprieve this weekend, as the Cowboys take on the undefeated Steelers, who allow the fourth fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. Do Elliot and Pollard belong in your lineups this weekend? We break down the fantasy analysis below.

Fantasy Football analysis: Cowboys RBs Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard

Ezekiel Elliot has had some tough sledding lately, as opposing teams have been able to focus more of their efforts on stopping him due to the newly anemic Dallas passing attack. Despite receiving 19 carries, Elliot was only able to manage 63 rushing yards against the Eagles in Week 8. He added one receptions for 10 yards and was unable to find the end zone. Elliot will likely be utilized often this weekend, and he is likely to face similar challenges from the Steelers defense. It is worth noting that Elliot has been designated with a hamstring injury and his practice report should be monitored this week to ensure his availability. As of now, there is no indication that he may miss the game, but he could be limited. Due to everything discussed above, Elliot is teetering on the edge of RB1/RB2 territory, but he still belongs in all lineups this weekend.

Tony Pollard has received a larger number of carries since Dak Prescott’s season ended, in order to allow Ezekiel Elliot a bit of reprieve. The Cowboys can no longer rely on their passing game, putting a larger workload on the shoulders of the Dallas backfield. Unfortunately for Pollard, the increased workload has been met with an increased frequency of stacked boxes, wiping out his added upside. He does not produce reliably enough to reserve a place in your starting lineups with weekend.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Start Ezekiel Elliot as a low end RB1/RB2

Sit Tony Pollard