X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Ezekiel Elliott vs. 2017 Running Back Rookie Class

Dallas Cowboys wunderkind Ezekiel Elliott took the NFL and the fantasy football world by storm during his rookie campaign. The question is if Elliott will be outdone during his sophomore season by one of the new rookie running backs joining the league this year.

Elliott was the fantasy phenomenon many experts believed he would be in his rookie season. Running behind the best offensive line in football, Elliott was the centerpiece of Dallas’ surprisingly powerful offensive attack and won the league rushing title with 1,631 yards. He also added 15 rushing touchdowns and 40 receptions for 363 yards and an additional TD. Elliott was a first-round fantasy pick right out of the gate and did not disappoint the people who drafted him. If you chose Adrian Peterson, Todd Gurley or Lamar Miller instead of Elliott, you probably did not win any money in your fantasy league.

The question for fantasy owners heading into 2017 drafts is whether the winning strategy is to draft a top rookie RB again or to simply take Zeke again. Let's break down the various options.

For more NFL draft coverage, free agency news, and fantasy football analysis, bookmark our NFL page to get the advantage over your competition.

 

 

The Future at Running Back Starts Now

While many NFL general managers believe that the running back position is not where high draft picks and multi-millions should be spent, there were several backs selected in the first couple rounds of this year’s draft, including two taken within the first 10 picks.

Jacksonville drafted LSU standout Leonard Fournette after suffering through T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory’s injuries and inconsistency. Fournette, a big back with breakaway speed, was regarded as the best runner available and someone an NFL offense can build a rushing attack around. Sounds a lot like how Elliott was regarded last season.

Jacksonville does not have the offensive line Dallas does, though. Fournette should also lose more touches to Yeldon and Ivory than Elliott will to Morris and McFadden. Fournette’s pass-catching ability is not equal to Elliott’s either. Fournette should have a solid rookie season, but he should not amass the yards and score the touchdowns Elliott will.

Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey could turn out to be the all-purpose back of fantasy owners’ dreams, the kind of back Reggie Bush was never able to fully become. With Jonathan Stewart rolling his ankles as much as Kawhi Leonard, McCaffrey is bound to get plenty of touches in the Panthers offense. But quarterback/franchise guy Cam Newton needs his carries, too, along with the ones Stewart will get (when healthy) on early downs and near the goal line. I could see McCaffrey rushing for 900 yards to go along with 500 receiving yards, but to peg him as better than Elliott in his first season seems hard to fathom.

Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook dropped in the draft when many experts thought he would be taken in the first round. The kid has first-round talent, though, and could end up being the best back of the rookie collection when the smoke clears in a couple years. Cook is going to have to battle newly-signed Latavius Murray (788 yards and 12 TD) and Adrian Peterson understudy Jerick McKinnon for playing time and touches, however, in 2017, so a 1,700-yard year that would best Elliott is highly unlikely.

Cincinnati was in the market for a running back because Giovani Bernard is coming off ACL surgery and is not guaranteed to be ready at the start of the season. Plodder Jeremy Hill has no trouble scoring touchdowns (21 over last two years), but has had a major problem averaging four yards per carry during that span (3.7 ypc between 2016-17). So, the Bengals using a second-round draft choice on Oklahoma runner Joe Mixon was not as overly surprising as it may seem on paper. Cincinnati also has a history of giving troubled players a second chance (Adam “Pacman” Jones for example), and Mixon surely needed one after being charged with assaulting a woman in 2014.  But with Hill still playing the big back role and Bernard expected back within the first month of the season, Mixon’s fantasy value will be stunted in 2017, making him a better pick in dynasty than re-draft leagues.

Other rookie running backs that should have fantasy value but will fall short of Elliott’s worth are Kansas City’s Kareem Hunt and Washington’s Samaje Perine. The Chiefs traded up to snag Hunt in the draft, so they must think he can split carries with incumbent starter Spencer Ware, if not surpass him on the depth chart. But Hunt’s average speed could slow his ascent to the No. 1 spot in the backfield, and he does not look like the kind of tailback that could carry an offense and pile up tons of yards like Elliott.

Perine does not face much stiff competition for carries with the Redskins as only late-season starter Rob Kelley is the only back standing in his lane. Perine is a decisive downhill runner who runs best between the tackles and can take over as the main goal line back, yet Kelley is probably the better all-around player and will probably not be totally shoved to the sidelines like Matt Jones was last year, no matter how well Perine plays.

 

What About Zeke?

So can Elliott repeat or top what he did last season this season?  It is highly doubtful that a sophomore slump is coming. He is still the main man in Dallas’ rushing attack. There were no moves made in the offseason to acquire any backs that could threaten Elliott’s role or playing time. Veterans Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden are capable backups and great at giving Elliott breathers during games, but neither is the talented game breaker/difference maker Elliott is. Elliott led the NFL in rushing attempts last year and should be handed the ball more than anyone else again this year unless Arizona forces its workhorse, David Johnson, to carry their offense even more than he already does.

The biggest problem Elliott is going to contend with is his revamped offensive line. Known as the NFL’s top line in 2015 and 2016, the Cowboys lost two starters during the offseason when left guard Ron Leary signed with the Denver Broncos and right tackle Doug Free retired. The pressure is on La’el Collins and Chaz Green to fill those roles and keep opening holes for Elliott. So Elliott may need to create more yardage via shifty moves and breaking tackles than he did last season.

Opposing defenses will have a better book on Elliott and quarterback Dak Prescott, but they had a better book towards the end of last season and it did not slow down either super rookie at the time. Elliott has the power to barrel through front sevens and the speed to outrun secondaries, and if Prescott keeps defenses honest with his passing and the line blocks does its jobs of creating gaps for Elliott to run through, there is no reason Elliott cannot have another 1,600-yard, 15-TD year unless an injury costs him some games.

This rookie running back class looks like one of the better groups the NFL has seen in years, but the best back from 2016, Mr. Elliott, will still reign supreme fantasy-wise over all the newcomers this season.

 

More 2017 Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

NASCAR53 mins ago

Bubba Wallace Wrecked at Las Vegas, but Showed Promising Speed
Alex Bowman55 mins ago

Recovered From Loose Wheel to Finish Seventh
Austin Cindric56 mins ago

Won Stage 1, but Loose Wheel Foiled Victory Bid
William Byron58 mins ago

Lost Las Vegas Race on Strategy, but Still Expanded Points Lead
Ryan Preece59 mins ago

Earned Best Career Non-Drafting Oval Finish at Las Vegas
Mookie Betts6 hours ago

Won't Play In Tokyo Series Against Cubs
Tee Higgins6 hours ago

Becomes Highest-Paid WR2 In NFL History
Ja'Marr Chase6 hours ago

Bengals Make Ja'Marr Chase The Highest-Paid Non-QB In NFL History
Brandin Podziemski7 hours ago

On Track To Return Tuesday
Christian Braun7 hours ago

Tagged As Probable On Injury Report
Aaron Gordon7 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Jamal Murray7 hours ago

Iffy For Monday
Nikola Jokić7 hours ago

Nikola Jokic May Sit Out Meeting With Warriors
Quinten Post7 hours ago

Uncertain For Monday
Stephen Curry7 hours ago

Questionable To Play On Monday
Vince Williams Jr.9 hours ago

Returning On Monday
Coby White9 hours ago

Tagged As Probable For Monday
Josh Giddey9 hours ago

Doubtful For Monday
Gary Trent Jr.9 hours ago

Cleared For Sunday
Scotty Pippen Jr.9 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Ja Morant9 hours ago

Won't Play Monday
Aaron Nesmith9 hours ago

Questionable Versus Minnesota
Tyrese Haliburton10 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Monday Night
Michael Tonkin10 hours ago

Will Open Season On Injured List
Aaron Wiggins10 hours ago

Returns To Action Against Bucks
Michel Otañez10 hours ago

Michel Otanez Shut Down From Throwing
Myles Turner10 hours ago

Questionable Against Minnesota
Kyle Kuzma10 hours ago

Ready To Play Sunday
Pascal Siakam10 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday
Damian Lillard10 hours ago

Good To Go Sunday
Giannis Antetokounmpo10 hours ago

Available Against OKC
Brandon Marsh10 hours ago

Exits Early Sunday
Royce Lewis10 hours ago

Expected To Begin 2025 On Injured List
Miami Dolphins10 hours ago

Ryan Stonehouse Signs With Dolphins
Sam Darnold10 hours ago

Could Opt Out After One Season
Mark Andrews11 hours ago

Unlikely To Be Cut
Igor Shesterkin12 hours ago

Remains In Rangers Crease Sunday
John Gibson12 hours ago

Still Out On Sunday
Nick Bjugstad12 hours ago

Returns For Utah Sunday
Filip Chytil12 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Jiri Kulich12 hours ago

In Concussion Protocol
Adam Pelech12 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Zach Hyman13 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Sunday
Bailey Falter13 hours ago

Ready To Go For Monday
Yu Darvish13 hours ago

Dealing With Fatigue
Clarke Schmidt13 hours ago

Won't Start On Monday
Mark Leiter Jr.13 hours ago

Should Be Ready For Opening Day
David Bednar13 hours ago

Not Officially Named Closer
Yoán Moncada13 hours ago

Yoan Moncada Could Land On Injured List
Atlanta Falcons14 hours ago

Keith Taylor Signs With Falcons
Atlanta Falcons14 hours ago

Storm Norton Back With Atlanta
Ronnie Rivers14 hours ago

Re-Ups With Rams
Mason Adams15 hours ago

Diagnosed With Flexor Strain
Joey Gallo15 hours ago

White Sox Release Joey Gallo
Sean Burke15 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Jung Hoo Lee15 hours ago

Expected To Remain Sidelined For A Few Days
Max Kepler15 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday After Collision
Eiberson Castellano16 hours ago

Could Win Bullpen Job
Kyle Freeland16 hours ago

Rockies Name Kyle Freeland Their Starter For Opening Day
Royce Lewis16 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Ramón Urías16 hours ago

Ramon Urias Expected To Return On Thursday
Emmanuel Rivera16 hours ago

Dealing With Sore Shoulder
New York Jets17 hours ago

Derrick Nnadi Signing With Jets
Washington Commanders17 hours ago

Eddie Goldman Joins Commanders On One-Year Deal
Cooper Rush17 hours ago

Agrees On Two-Year Deal With Ravens
Baltimore Ravens20 hours ago

Ben Cleveland Remaining With Ravens
Seattle Seahawks20 hours ago

Shemar Jean-Charles Signing With Seahawks
Velus Jones Jr.20 hours ago

Signs With Saints
Christopher Bell21 hours ago

Quest For Four Wins In A Row Just Got More Difficult
Kyle Larson21 hours ago

Should Contend For Another Win At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney21 hours ago

Once Again The Chalk DFS Pick At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain21 hours ago

Fastest In Practice At Las Vegas
Chris Buescher22 hours ago

Has Sneaky Upside This Weekend
Quinton Byfield22 hours ago

Scores In Sixth Straight Contest
Chase Elliott22 hours ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
Artemi Panarin22 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Eight Games
Pyotr Kochetkov22 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Flyers On Saturday
William Byron22 hours ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick22 hours ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Anthony Cirelli22 hours ago

Strikes Twice On Saturday
Denny Hamlin23 hours ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Alex Ovechkin23 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Connor Dewar23 hours ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
NASCAR23 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Could Be A Solid DFS Option For Las Vegas
Brad Keselowski23 hours ago

Qualifies Deep In The Field For Las Vegas
Erik Jones23 hours ago

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering At Las Vegas This Week?
Daniel Suarez23 hours ago

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Daniel Suarez At Las Vegas?
Carson Hocevar23 hours ago

Showcases Speed And Can Be Worth Rostering At Las Vegas
Ryan Preece23 hours ago

Is Ryan Preece A DFS Fade For Las Vegas Lineups?
Joey Logano1 day ago

Likely To Lead At Las Vegas, But Will He Lead Enough For DFS Consideration?
Jordan Mason1 day ago

Vikings Acquire Jordan Mason From 49ers, Sign Him To Two-Year Deal
Dee Eskridge1 day ago

Sticking With Dolphins
JuJu Smith-Schuster1 day ago

Returning To Chiefs
Tennessee Titans1 day ago

Chidobe Awuzie Released By Titans
Parris Campbell1 day ago

Headed To Dallas
Jiri Kulich1 day ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury Saturday
Tyler Myers1 day ago

Set To Return Against Blackhawks
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Good To Go Against Bruins
Yegor Chinakhov1 day ago

Rejoins Blue Jackets Lineup Saturday
Joel Armia1 day ago

Expected To Return On Saturday
Brady Tkachuk1 day ago

Available Saturday
Adam Fox1 day ago

Ready To Rejoin Rangers Lineup
Philadelphia Eagles2 days ago

Patrick Johnson Rejoins Philadelphia
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Larrell Murchison Back With The Rams
Eeli Tolvanen2 days ago

Scores Twice In Victory
Roman Dolidze3 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani3 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos3 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez3 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson3 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro3 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
Diyar Nurgozhay3 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
MMA3 days ago

Seung Woo Choi In Dire Need Of Victory
Kevin Vallejos3 days ago

Makes Debut At UFC Vegas 104
Jacob Bridgeman5 days ago

Use Caution For Jacob Bridgeman At TPC Sawgrass
Nicolai Hojgaard5 days ago

Looks To Stay Consistent Heading Into PLAYERS Championship
Karl Vilips5 days ago

Makes PLAYERS Championship Debut After First PGA Tour Win
Taylor Pendrith5 days ago

A Sneaky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

Out Of Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

A Shaky Play Heading Into PLAYERS
Scottie Scheffler5 days ago

Eyeing Three-Peat At TPC Sawgrass
Aldrich Potgieter5 days ago

A Risky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Si Woo Kim5 days ago

Looks To Keep Building Momentum At The PLAYERS
Denny McCarthy5 days ago

Looks To Continue Solid Play At TPC Sawgrass
Collin Morikawa5 days ago

Poised For Another Strong Performance At TPC Sawgrass
Robert MacIntyre5 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At The PLAYERS Championship
Jordan Spieth5 days ago

Looking To Change Fortunes At TPC Sawgrass
Cameron Young5 days ago

Avoid Cameron Young At The PLAYERS Championship
Michael Kim5 days ago

Continues Incredible Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Justin Thomas5 days ago

Looking For More Magic At TPC Sawgrass
Xander Schauffele5 days ago

Continues Competitive Return At The Players Championship
Rory McIlroy5 days ago

Looks To Reverse Recent History At TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Victor Hovland Looking To Find Form At The PLAYERS Championship
Brian Harman5 days ago

A Sleeper Pick At The PLAYERS Championship
Min Woo Lee5 days ago

A Hard Name To Trust At The Players Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Albert Haynesworth - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Worst NFL Free Agent Signings Of All Time

With the free agency period for the 2025 NFL season now underway, many big-name players will find new homes as teams compete to sign anyone and everyone they think they need to help their squad. While many signings end up being good moves, or at least help their teams fill holes at certain positions on […]


Cole Kmet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Tight Ends to Buy or Sell (2025)

It's tough to find good tight ends in dynasty fantasy football. Unfortunately, it's also very easy to be stuck with one that sticks around in the doldrums of low production. Such is the case for many TEs, and even those who have good seasons here and there often lack consistency year over year. It's not […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Running Backs to Buy or Sell (2025)

Running back volume and production is highly mercurial in the NFL. It can thus be difficult to know when to trade away and when to trade for tailbacks. There is constant competition for roles in certain backfields, and red-herring situations are abound due to injuries and plain luck. While some RBs are certainly safe in […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Third-Year Breakouts

Patience can be tough, especially in fantasy football. We want instant production from rookies, but these players often take a while to get going. These youngsters need to adjust to the speed of the NFL and learn from their early struggles to break out fully. The third year in the NFL is oftentimes when things […]


Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Free Agency Winners and Losers - Fantasy Football Outlooks from Florio

Free Agency is the most fun week of the NFL offseason. Even when it is not the strongest class, there is never a shortage of excitement. Players changing teams at a rapid rate. It is a week filled with hope that your favorite team will add stars and that those under-the-radar players you love will […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

Josh Downs Fantasy Football Dynasty Outlook (2025)

The 2025 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. For the last few months, dynasty fantasy football gamers have been meticulously studying the incoming rookie class to gain any edge they can on their league mates. While we should be anxiously awaiting our rookie drafts, we must also take time and analyze how veteran players are valued […]


Tyron Smith Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

New York Jets and former long-time Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL for an extended period of time. He's made five All-Pro teams, two with the first team and two with the second team, been selected to eight Pro Bowls, and earned a spot on […]


Bills Defense - Von Miller IDP Rankings, D/ST Streamers, Fantasy Football Team Defense

Von Miller Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, one of the greatest pass-rushers in NFL history, was released by his team on March 9, 2025. He had signed a six-year, $120 million deal with the team in 2022, but the soon-to-be 36-year-old wasn't able to make it to the end of that contract, so he's now looking for […]


Aaron Jones - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Staying Put - Impact Players Re-signed: Aaron Jones, Zach Ertz, Jaylen Warren, more

NFL free agency is a frenzy. As football fans, we love to see the movement around the league. It allows us to dream about the possibility of our team signing a fresh player who could make a serious impact. However, one cannot overlook the impact of re-signing significant contributors. While it is not as exciting […]


Tucker Kraft - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Wide Receivers and Tight Ends To Buy in 2025

My friend Josh used to make me listen to the Bring Me The Horizon song "Diamonds Aren't Forever," which begins with the line "We will never sleep, cause sleep is for the weak." That sentiment rings true in fantasy football dynasty leagues as well. You can't get complacent. You can't stop thinking about how to […]


Zay Flowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football WR Buy or Sell: Zay Flowers, Rashee Rice, and Jordan Addison (2025)

The 2024 NFL Draft class had seven first-round wide receivers. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze were selected in the top 10. Meanwhile, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, Ricky Pearsall, and Xavier Legette were Day 1 selections. More importantly, Nabers and Thomas finished their rookie seasons as top-7 wide receivers in half-point PPR […]


Courtland Sutton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Sleepers, Draft Targets: Early 2025 Analysis

One of the biggest factors in winning fantasy football teams is finding middle-to-late-round sleepers. With wide receivers typically carrying the most drafted players of any position, it makes sense that taking multiple stabs at the position in search of hitting multiple-round values is the way to set yourself apart in drafts. For 2025, the draft […]


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2025 NFL Free Agency Frenzy: Biggest Winners and Disappointments at Every Fantasy Football Position

NFL franchises will have an opportunity to reshape their rosters before the draft. Fantasy managers will have a chance to read the tea leaves and make measured strikes against their fantasy football opposition ahead of rookie drafts. Savvy managers will use this period to try to get the best return on some previous investments, as […]