One of the main concerns coming out of the Dallas Cowboys’ 31-29 Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Thursday was the quiet night for running back Ezekiel Elliott.
The veteran tailback had limited production on the ground in the season opener as the Cowboys quickly abandoned the run altogether to avoid running into Tampa’s lethal front seven. Elliott defended himself this week by citing his pass-protection as a valuable asset for Dallas in the loss. While technically correct, pass blocking unfortunately doesn’t show up in fantasy and we’ll look into his viability heading into Sunday’s game at the Los Angeles Chargers.
Fantasy Football analysis: Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott
Elliott had just 11 carries for 33 yards in the loss. Those 11 carries were the second-lowest total in his career but it was the result of Dallas adjusting on the fly due to the matchup. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore indicated his desire for Zeke to pound the football, so we’ll see if he gets more touches against the Chargers.
Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation
Zeke is going up against a Chargers defense that yielded 90 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown to Antonio Gibson last Sunday. Elliott may get more touches this week but I’m inclined to go into wait and see mode with him, especially considering the plethora of passing options that Dak Prescott can turn to at any time. Sit Elliott for this week.