Yes I know, Zeke was disappointing for fantasy owners in 2020 and didn’t look like himself, but c’mon, 2020 was an odd year for everyone. Zeke has been one of the most consistent, durable, and skillful starting running backs over the last five seasons. Over his career, Zeke has only missed seven games, and only ONE of those being due to injury (calf strain Week 13 vs 49ers). Before Dak’s injury, Zeke looked like a top-tier RB ranking third in standard scoring. Also, Zeke was at a disadvantage with his offensive line facing injuries all season long. Travis Frederick retired before the season, La’el Collins had hip surgery, Tyron Smith with a neck injury after only two games, and Zack Martin only played 50% of snaps because of a lingering calf issue. That’s their top four options on the offensive line. Not to mention the backup OL was also getting banged up all season long and was constantly changing offering little consistency.
So let’s get started with why I believe Zeke is going to bounce back this season.
First off, to restate my statement prior, he was the third-highest scoring RB in fantasy football with a healthy Dak Prescott in 2020. Of course, this was over a small sample size of only five games, but this is more accurate of an expectation than the end of the season with not even backup-worthy quarterbacks. One thing you can almost guarantee with Zeke is he is going to get a healthy workload. Last year Zeke averaged 19.7 touches/ game ranking eighth in the league.
Secondly, the Cowboys are an elite offense with a healthy Dak, and defenses simply cannot afford to stack the box against them. Last year with a banged-up offensive line and lackluster NFL QBs, teams took advantage of the lack of surrounding skill. This year, the Cowboys are poised to have a top-tier offensive line which will inherently benefit Zeke and overall offensive production.
Lastly, the man is simply putting in the absolute work this offseason. For the first time in his career, he’s working with a running back coach this offseason and has cut his weight down to his college days thanks to his dietician. Zeke is weighing at 218 lbs. meaning he is about 10 lbs. lighter. Along with this weight loss, Zeke is focusing on his conditioning and quickness with personal running back guru John Hicks. This is encouraging. When a player looks to improve on things they lacked the year prior, you know they’re determined to increase efficiency.
So, overall Ezekiel Elliott is a bargain at the end of first-round Redraft leagues. The man is going overlooked because of a crazy 2020 season that is entirely a false narrative of true skill and production.
Thank you for reading. Catch me on Twitter @fantsyforecast for all fantasy-related discussions. #DFFArmy
