Is Ezekiel Elliott playing tonight vs New Orleans Saints? Latest on Dallas Cowboys RB's status
Ezekiel Elliott may not be the same runner he used to be, but he is still a core weapon of the Dallas Cowboys offense. His presence adds more to the offense than it subtracts.
Cowboys fans know this. Cowboys fans and fantasy owners are hoping to see Elliott eat in Thursday's contest against the New Orleans Saints. Will he be available to play?
Will Ezekiel Elliott play on Thursday Night Football?
According to CBS Sports, Ezekiel Elliott is not listed on the depth chart and is expected to play all four quarters. Barring an injury or a massive blowout, the veteran running back will be on the field early and often.
More on Saints' QB Taysom Hill starting Thursday night vs. the Cowboys:
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Thus far, Elliott has rushed 160 times for 720 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games. He's also caught 38 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown.
In 2021, Elliott is averaging a solid 4.5 yards per carry. That said, the franchise running back is only one bad game away from having an uphill climb to avoid having arguably the worst season of his career.
Due to the Covid-19 cases on the #Cowboys staff, former #Giants HC Ben McAdoo will temporarily assume a coaching role and be in the coaches booth for Thursday vs. the #Saints. McAdoo has been a consultant to the coaches.
Unfortunately for Elliott, he's struggled in the last month. He's only had one game of over 50 yards and only one game in which he averaged more than 3.6 yards per carry.
That said, he could easily bounce back to finish the year as he's had highs earlier in 2021.
Can Ezekiel Elliott get back into his typical form this season?
Against the New York Giants, Elliott had 21 rushes for 110 yards and a touchdown. Against the Carolina Panthers, Elliott had 20 rushes for 143 yards and a touchdown.
Both of those games came in back-to-back weeks. If he can have a similar two-week run, he will be able to reach 1,000 yards with ease this season.
If it is going to happen, it likely won't be tonight. The New Orleans Saints are ranked third in rushing yards allowed in the NFL, surrendering 91.9 yards per game.
The other obstacle to Elliott's production is and has been pollard" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Tony Pollard. Pollard has earned double-digit carries in seven games so far this season.
In 12 games, Pollard has 100 rushes for 531 yards and a touchdown.
Fantasy players may have a tough choice between Pollard and Elliott next season, as the backfield increasingly becomes muddled in a committee under Mike McCarthy.
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