Should I Draft Rico Dowdle or Ezekiel Elliott for Fantasy Football? Who Is The Cowboys RB1 for 2024?

The Dallas Cowboys backfield has a new look in 2024. The club opted not to re-sign last year's starter, Tony Pollard, after a disappointing season as the RB1. This move was not surprising given Pollard’s subpar play. What was surprising, though, was that Dallas did not make any significant addition to the running back room during the offseason.

That leaves fifth-year pro Rico Dowdle as one of the team’s top options in 2024. Dowdle is an unproven player, but the team sees something in him it likes. Dallas did bring back former starter Ezekiel Elliott on a one-year deal. He was the team’s main running back acquisition. Dowdle and Elliott sit atop the depth chart, and they should form some type of committee.

So, which back should fantasy football players target in drafts this year? Let’s take a few minutes and discuss.

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Rico Dowdle 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

Dowdle has spent the entirety of his career thus far as a reserve player. He went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft and signed with the Cowboys soon after. Dowdle has fresh legs and only amassed 96 carries through his four NFL seasons.

He is a total unknown in terms of whether or not he is a good NFL running back. Elliott remains his main competitor for touches. Based on Elliott's play in recent years, Dowdle won’t have to be a superstar to command more touches than the aging vet.

Ezekiel Elliott 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

Elliott returns to the Cowboys after a one-year hiatus. Unfortunately for him, the downward trajectory of his career continued last year in New England. He had a career-low 3.5 yards per carry and finished 41st out of 49 eligible backs in Next Gen Stats' Rush Yards Over Expected.

At this point, it’s unlikely we ever see a career resurgence from Elliott. He's a player in decline. However, Elliott should be Dallas’ preferred goal-line back and may garner an RB1 workload if Dowdle is ineffective. In that event, Elliott would be a back-end RB2/flex play at best.

Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?

Right now, it’s unclear how the Cowboys plan to split touches between these two players. The one clear thing, though, is that Dowdle has been the team’s top rusher this summer.

Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle “has to be the favorite to lead the team in rushing”, per @jonmachota of The Athletic.

The current Cowboys depth chart is:

RB1 - Zeke
RB2 - Dowdle
RB3 - Royce Freeman
RB4 - Deuce Vaughn pic.twitter.com/doDVXlfjsu

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 8, 2024

#Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy on how many RBs will comprise his running back by committee:

“Whether it’s two or whether it’s three, to be honest with you, the players will determine that.”

McCarthy on Rico Dowdle:

“He’s definitely one of the lead guys in the room”

McCarthy has a… pic.twitter.com/v3earPpRKd

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) May 30, 2024

“With more than a handful of starters held out of the preseason opener, running back Rico Dowdle showed burst and explosiveness in his only series of the game. He gained 14 yards on three carries averaging 4.7 yards per touch. His most impressive feat may have been his… https://t.co/ckPIMZx5XZ

— 32BeatWriters (@32BeatWriters) August 14, 2024

Elliott is a fan favorite and is regarded highly by the organization. He won’t completely go away and will have some type of role in the offense. However, there’s no debating that he’s a shell of his former self as a player. We shouldn’t expect much from him even if he does get a healthy dose of volume.

Dowdle is the more intriguing pick from a fantasy aspect as he’s a total wild card. It would be hard to believe that he isn’t a better/more explosive option than Elliott. All reports from the Cowboys camp seem to confirm this.

Dowdle should command the majority of touches and prove to be the superior back. Unless the team adds another back before the start of the season, Dowdle is the preferred pick in all fantasy leagues.

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