NFL Network's Tom Pelissero talked up RB Dalvin Cook ahead of the veteran's first game with the Cowboys on Sunday night against the 49ers. Someone must have forgotten to tell Cook or the team how good he had looked in practice, though. Cook carried six times for just 12 yards and added a 10-yard catch on his lone target. He trailed RB Ezekiel Elliott in carries, yards, and yards per rush, and watched Elliott claim the team's only rushing TD.
Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle (illness) will be inactive for tonight's game vs. the 49ers, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports. That'll leave the backfield to Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott, and Hunter Luepke. Cook is the best fantasy bet if you were planning to start Dowdle, but it's a backfield to avoid if possible.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle "became sick upon arriving" at the stadium for tonight's game and is now questionable.
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott led Rico Dowdle in playing time (28 snaps to 29), pass routes (14-11), and carries (8-5) in Sunday's loss to the Lions. He turned that into just 17 rushing yards and 0 targets. Dowdle rushed for 25 yards (5.0 per carry) and caught five balls for 30 yards. He tied for third on the team in targets (6) and ranked second in receptions.
Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle edged Ezekiel Elliot for the backfield lead in Sunday's 44-19 loss to the Saints. Dowdle carried seven times to Elliott's six and beat Elliott 5-3 in targets. He tallied 30 yards rushing (4.3 per carry) and 29 receiving (7.3 per catch). Elliott went 6-16 rushing and 2-16 receiving. Second-year RB Deuce Vaughn also mixed in for 4-11 rushing and a 6-yard catch. He bumped from just two snaps in the opener to 10 against New Orleans.
RB Rico Dowdle carried more buzz out of camp and preseason, but RB Ezekiel Elliott led the Week 1 backfield in opportunities and production. Elliott carried 10 times for 40 yards and the team's lone rushing score from 3 yards out) in Sunday's win at Cleveland. He added 2 receptions for 9 yards on 2 targets. Dowdle went 8-26 on the ground and caught his lone target for 6 yards.
Cowboys RB Dalvin Cook will not play in today’s opener vs. the Browns. Not a big surprise after he joined the team less than two weeks ago. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said this morning that Cook has looked good in practice and might play in the next week or two. Pelissero also said to expect a “pretty even split” of carries between RBs Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott.
The Athletic's Jon Machota considers RB Rico Dowdle the favorite to lead the Cowboys in carries and rushing yards this season. Dowdle impressed with his explosion and pass-catching ability throughout camp, Machota writes.
RB Dalvin Cook has signed with the Dallas Cowboys. Cook played with the New York Jets for most of the 2023 season before being released and signing with the Baltimore Ravens for their playoff run.
Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle was mentioned as "battling it out" with RB Malik Davis by EVP Stephen Jones. He was highly complimentary of RB Royce Freeman.
The Cowboys and RB Ezekiel Elliott have agreed to a contract, NFL Network reports. It's a reunion after Elliott spent his first seven seasons in Dallas. The 28-year-old mustered just 3.8 yards per carry in his last season with the Cowboys and then averaged 3.5 yards per carry for the Patriots last year. Elliott ranked 29th among 42 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus' 2022 rushing grades and 41st among 49 last year. There's very little gas left in this tank, although Elliott still proved capable of handling big workloads down the stretch last season. He averaged 14.8 carries and 6.5 targets over the final six weeks. The Cowboys are desperate for RB help after losing Tony Pollard in free agency and failing to land a RB in the draft. Elliott just might be the favorite to lead the backfield in touches ahead of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Royce Freeman. He's still not an exciting fantasy pick. We'll see where his ADP settles.
The Patriots placed RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) on IR. He'll end up missing the final five games of the season. Stevenson got off to a brutally slow start this year, averaging just 60 total yards over his first eight games. He got rolling over his final three healthy games, though, averaging 91 rushing yards per game on 5.5 yards per carry plus 4.0 catches and 21.7 receiving yards per game. We'll see what New England adds to the backfield this offseason, but Stevenson figures to play a significant role again in 2024. Ezekiel Elliott will finish out this season as the Patriots' lead back. See where he sits in the Week 17 RB Rankings.
Patriots RB Ezekiel Elliott tallied 12 carries for 27 rushing yards in Week 16 vs. the Broncos. Though the veteran didn’t shine as a runner, he did thrive in the receiving game on Sunday night. Elliott concluded the contest with 9 catches on 11 targets (both team-highs) for 33 yards and a score. All said, he finished the week with 21 PPR points and turned in a fourth-straight game with at least 16 touches. Assuming Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) is out of the lineup again in Week 17, Elliott will be in a position to be an RB2 candidate going up against a Bills defense that ranks as the 13th-best RB matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed.
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) remained sidelined all week and is out for Sunday night’s game vs. the Broncos. That means another start for RB Ezekiel Elliott. We’ve seen his ceiling and floor the past two games: 140 total yards and a score in Week 14; 46 scoreless yards in Week 15.
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday. Reportedly dealing with a high-ankle sprain, he's unlikely to play vs. the Chiefs this weekend. That'd again leave RB Ezekiel Elliott in a true workhorse role. Zeke racked up 22 carries and eight targets on a 91% snap rate last week.
With RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) sidelined, Patriots RB Ezekiel Elliott got workhorse usage in Thursday night's win over the Steelers. Zeke played 91% of New England's offensive snaps and handled a whopping 30 of 32 RB opportunities. (RB Ty Montgomery got two targets.) Elliott didn't find much running room but compiled 68 yards on his 22 carries. He was much more effective as a receiver, catching seven of eight targets for 72 yards and the game's first TD. The end result was 140 total yards and the score, which will surely make Elliott a top-12 fantasy RB on the week. It's worth noting that the Patriots played with the lead for 56 minutes of this game, helping Elliott's volume. We can't expect that going forward. But with this type of playing time and opportunity share, Zeke looks like at least a weekly RB2 until Stevenson returns, which is unlikely to happen for at least another game or two.
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson has been diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. A source tells Schefter that Stevenson is expected to miss "a few weeks." High-ankle sprains generally cost RBs 4+ games, so don't be surprised if Stevenson misses the rest of the season. He's droppable in most fantasy leagues without an IR spot. Stevenson's absence will leave Ezekiel Elliott as New England's clear lead back -- in a true test of whether pure volume can support a fantasy RB. New England has RBs Jamycal Hasty and Ty Montgomery behind Elliott on the active roster, with RB Kevin Harris on the practice squad.
The Athletic's Jeff Howe reports that the "initial belief" is that Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson "will miss time, possibly multiple games," with the ankle injury he suffered in the Week 13 loss to the Chargers. Stevenson is scheduled for additional testing on the ankle on Monday, so we should get another update on his status then. But fantasy owners should plan on being without Stevenson for at least Week 14 -- and potentially the rest of the fantasy season. His absence leaves Ezekiel Elliott as New England's lead back and an unexciting but-useable fantasy play.
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