Ezekiel Elliott: Narrows down preferred landing spots
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Elliott, who was released by the Cowboys on March 15, hopes to sign with a new team by the end of next week, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
According to Schefter, the running back has narrowed his preferred options down to the Eagles, Jets and Bengals. This past season with Dallas, Elliott recorded a career-low 876 rushing yards on 231 carries, but he did score 12 touchdowns in 15 games. With that in mind, wherever the 27-year-old lands, he should have a chance to make an impact as a pass protector and in short-yardage situations at a minimum for his new team.
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Ezekiel Elliott: Cut loose by Dallas
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The Cowboys will officially release Elliott on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Dallas and Elliott had reportedly been discussing a contract renegotiation for weeks, but more recent reports suggested that a release would be the likely outcome for the 27-year-old running back. Elliott should find suitors in free agency, though likely at a price far, far less than what he's accustomed to playing under. With only Malik Davis on the roster behind a rehabbing Tony Pollard (leg), the Cowboys will need to draft or sign some backfield help in the coming weeks or months.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Set to leave Dallas
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The Cowboys informed Elliott that he'll be released Wednesday, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Elliott's release isn't official yet, but the running back is already expected to begin exploring his options elsewhere. The two-time NFL rushing leader will likely be designated as a post-June 1 cut, with his release leaving Tony Pollard (ankle) as the unquestioned No. 1 option in the Dallas backfield. Across his seven-year career with Dallas, Elliott earned three Pro Bowl nods, but he fell short of 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time in his career during the 2022 season.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Numbers decline in 2022
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Elliott carried the ball 231 times for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns while catching 17 of 23 targets for 92 yards over 15 regular-season games in 2022.
The 27-year-old running back failed to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time in his career, as Elliott ceded usage as a pass catcher to Tony Pollard (ankle) and saw his overall workload shrink as he also fell short of 250 touches for the first time. Elliott remained the Cowboys' primary option at the goal line, however, allowing him to score double-digit TDs for the fourth time in seven NFL campaigns, but that more limited role also contributed to his career-low 3.8 YPC. Pollard is a free agent this offseason while Elliott remains under contract, but with a dead cap hit of a little under $12 million, it's possible the team will elect to cut the veteran loose -- a move that might make more sense if the Cowboys place the franchise tag on Pollard. Per Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News, Elliott is willing to re-negotiate his current deal and take a pay cut to stay in Dallas.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Struggles in defeat
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Elliott rushed 10 times for 26 yards and caught two of four targets for seven yards in Sunday's 19-12 playoff loss to San Francisco.
Elliott was unable to generate any running room against the 49ers' elite defensive front. The veteran back had to take over as the Cowboys' lone rushing option after Tony Pollard (leg) was carted off the field early in the second half, but he was unable to take advantage of the larger role. The seven-year pro appeared to lose a step in producing the worst per-carry average of his career (3.8 yards). Elliott still produced fantasy value as a short-yardage back with 12 touchdowns across 15 games, a role he will likely resume in 2023.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Stymied on ground in win
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Elliott rushed 13 times for 27 yards and brought in one of two targets for nine yards in the Cowboys' 31-14 wild-card win over the Buccaneers on Monday night.
Elliott has often derived his fantasy value from cashing in his red-zone opportunities, but absent those Monday night, he was limited to a middling performance. The veteran back logged two fewer carries than backfield mate Tony Pollard, and Dak Prescott vultured one red-zone rushing touchdown before Michael Gallup recorded a two-yard scoring grab in the third quarter after Elliott got the ball down to the two-yard line. The veteran back could struggle again in Sunday's divisional-round road clash against the 49ers' elite run defense.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Does little against Washington
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Elliott carried the ball eight times for 10 yards and failed to catch either of his targets in Sunday's 26-6 loss to the Commanders.
No Dallas running back gained more than 19 yards in what was an abysmal performance for the entire offense. Elliott completes his seventh NFL season with a career-low 876 rushing yards and 968 scrimmage yards, but his 12 rushing TDs helped keep his fantasy value afloat. Up next for the Cowboys is a date with the Buccaneers in the wild-card round, and with Dak Prescott's issues with interceptions continuing Sunday, Dallas could lean heavily on Elliott and Tony Pollard out of the backfield.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Salvages night with TD
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Elliott rushed 19 times for 37 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys' 27-13 win over the Titans on Thursday night.
Elliott's stat line underscores how difficult running room was to come by against a Titans defense that's been elite against ground attacks all season but that was also playing very short-handed Thursday. The veteran had a path to more touches than usual with Tony Pollard (thigh) inactive, but had it not been for Elliott's one-yard scoring run late in the first quarter, his night would have been a total fantasy washout. Elliott is likely to be back to a timeshare arrangement with Pollard in a Week 18 road matchup against the Commanders a week from Sunday, although both backs could see an abbreviated workload if Dallas has nothing to gain in terms of postseason positioning.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: On tap for lead role Thursday
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Elliott is in line to serve as the Cowboys' undisputed No. 1 back in Thursday's game against the Titans with Tony Pollard (thigh) listed as questionable but set to be inactive for the contest, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Pollard won't be officially ruled out for the contest until Dallas releases its inactive list 90 minutes before the 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff, but his absence frees up Elliott for more work after he handled no more than 52 percent of the Cowboys' snaps on offense in any of his six appearances since returning Week 11 from a two-game absence due to a right knee injury. That being said, Dallas enters Thursday's game as heavy favorites over a Titans squad that will be starting its third-string quarterback (Joshua Dobbs) and resting or holding out several key players with injuries, so it's possible that Elliott ends up sitting for a large portion of the second half if the Cowboys have mounted a sizable lead. Even if that comes to fruition, Elliott would likely have some role in Dallas amassing its lead, so he profiles as a stronger option than usual in fantasy lineups with Pollard out of the equation.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Another touchdown in Week 16 win
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Elliott rushed 16 times for 58 yards and a touchdown and brought in his only target for six yards in the Cowboys' 40-34 win over the Eagles on Saturday.
Elliott outpaced Tony Pollard by seven carries and also cashed in on a red-zone opportunity with a one-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. Elliott continues to frequently be the beneficiary of short-range scoring opportunities after Pollard gets Dallas close to the goal line, as was the case Saturday when the latter gained the preceding 17 yards on a nine-yard pass and eight-yard run. The veteran Elliott now has 10 rushing touchdowns in the last eight games, making him an extremely valuable fantasy asset going into a Week 17 road battle versus the Titans on Thursday night.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Finds end zone again
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Elliott rushed the ball 16 times for 58 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 40-34 loss to the Jaguars. He added two receptions on two targets for 13 yards.
Elliott looked to be in line for a big game, as he tallied 41 total yards and a touchdown on Dallas' first two offensive possessions. However, he managed only 13 yards on seven carries in the second half to turn in a solid, yet unspectacular performance. Positively, Elliott remains a force near the goal line, as he now has at least one touchdown in seven consecutive games and 10 overall on the season.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Tallies ninth touchdown
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Elliott rushed the ball 15 times for 62 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-23 win over the Texans. He added three receptions on five targets for 19 yards.
Elliott led the Cowboys' backfield, racking up 18 total touches compared to Tony Pollard's 14 touches. Elliott tallied the game-winning score on a two-yard touchdown plunge with 41 seconds left in the game -- his ninth trip to the end zone this season. He had a chance to score earlier in the game but was stuffed on four consecutive runs inside the eight-yard line. Though he shares the backfield with Pollard, Elliott has had an extremely steady workload by getting between 15 and 17 rushing attempts in each of his last four games.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: RBs to Start
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This should be a big week for Elliott and Tony Pollard against the Texans, who are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Elliott is hot coming into Week 14 with at least 16 PPR points in three games in a row. He has four touchdowns over that span, and he's run for at least 77 yards in consecutive games against the Giants and Colts. He also had three catches against Indianapolis in Week 13, and hopefully his work in the passing game will continue to increase. Even though Pollard might have more upside than Elliott, you should get another big game from Elliott in Week 14 against Houston.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Stays hot with another TD
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Elliott rushed 17 times for 77 yards and a touchdown against the Colts on Sunday. He also caught all three of his targets for 14 yards in a 54-19 blowout win.
Elliott continued his recent run of success with his fourth trip to the end zone in just three games since returning from injury. Tony Pollard (106 scrimmage yards and two TDs) also feasted on the Colts, as Dallas had its thunder and lightning backfield on full display for a national audience. The veteran of the tandem has looked rejuvenated in 2022, averaging 4.2 yards per carry to go along with eight scores through 10 games. Zeke should be able to continue eating when the Cowboys host the Texans on Sunday in a game where Dallas should be heavily favored.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Gets into end zone Thursday
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Elliott carried the ball 16 times for 92 yards and a touchdown and caught his only target for three yards in Thursday's 28-20 win over the Giants.
He scored Dallas' only TD of the first half on a six-yard run early in the second quarter, and Elliott out-gained Tony Pollard for the first time since Week 6 while leading the club in rushing. The 92 rushing yards were a season high for Zeke, and he's scored six touchdowns over his last four games, although he was sidelined for two games in the middle of that stretch with a knee injury. He appears close to 100 percent healthy ahead of a Week 13 tilt against the Colts.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: RBs to Start
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Tony Pollard is the leader of the Dallas backfield now a must-start Fantasy option in all leagues, but I would still use Elliott as a No. 2 running back this week against the Giants. It's a good matchup since the Giants have allowed a running back to score or gain over 100 total yards in five games in a row, with seven touchdowns over that span. And six running backs have scored at least 12 PPR points in those five games. Elliott had 15 carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns in Week 11 at Minnesota, and he now has five touchdowns in his past three games. He also had 15 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown at the Giants in Week 3, and he has seven total touchdowns in his past five meetings with the Giants, while scoring at least 14 PPR points in each outing over that span.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Ready for Thursday
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Elliott (knee) doesn't have a designation for Thursday's game against the Giants, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
After opening Week 12 prep with two straight limited listings on Cowboys injury reports, Elliott logged a full practice session Wednesday, effectively clearing him to play Thursday. In his return from a two-game absence this past Sunday at Minnesota, Elliott started but took on a smaller snap count (21) than fellow running back Tony Pollard (39). Both players got in on the act in a 40-3 win, but Elliott's 16 touches went for 47 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns, while Pollard's 21 touches resulted in 189 total yards and two receiving scores. The breakdown of playing time could tilt back in Elliott's favor a bit more Thursday, though Pollard's excellent production in recent weeks may make it difficult for the Cowboys to take him off the field.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Stays limited Tuesday
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Elliott (knee) practiced in a limited fashion Tuesday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Elliott has maintained limited listings on back-to-back injury reports, which is no surprise given the Cowboys are on a short week. The running back played for the first time since Week 7 this past Sunday at Minnesota, tallying 16 touches for 47 yards from scrimmage and two rushing TDs on a 30 percent share of the snaps in a 40-3 rout. Meanwhile, Tony Pollard had 21 touches for 189 total yards and two receiving scores while seeing 53 percent of the offensive plays. Assuming Elliott is able to suit up Thursday versus the Giants, he should be afforded his fair share of looks alongside Pollard out of Dallas' backfield.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Limited during Monday's walkthrough
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Elliott (knee) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's injury report, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
The Cowboys held a walkthrough Monday, so the injury report is simply an estimate. Given Elliott returned from a two-game absence and saw 16 touches Sunday, it's a positive sign to see him participate at all the following day. Despite the injury designation, the veteran running back doesn't appear to be in any danger of missing the Thanksgiving tilt against the Giants, but he'll likely continue splitting work with Tony Pollard, who's been lights-out over the last three weeks.
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Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Returns with two trips to end zone
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Elliott (knee) rushed 15 times for 42 yards and two touchdowns and caught his lone target for five yards in Sunday's 40-3 win over the Vikings.
Elliott picked up where he left off prior to a two-game absence with his second two-score performance in as many contests. The 27-year-old split carries evenly with Tony Pollard (15/80/0), with the latter scoring a pair of touchdowns as a receiver. Elliott doesn't possess the big-play ability of his faster position mate, but he was clearly superior at the goal line on his two attempts from short (Pollard was stuffed twice from one-yard out Sunday). Both of Dallas' backs are worthy of starting in fantasy heading into a traditional Thanksgiving tilt against the Giants on Thursday.
