Ezekiel Elliott Fantasy Football Week 17 Scouting Report

Ezekiel Elliott
RB
, Dallas Cowboys

Age: 29
Weight: 228 lbs
Height: 6' 0"
College: Ohio State

ADP: 116
Depth Chart Ranking: 2

Pts	RuYds	RuTD	Rec	RecYds
45.3	224	3	12	69

Week 17 Projection

Week 17 Projection
Dfs Projection

Week 17
DAL
@
PHI

Unlock our Projections

View full RB Projections

Salary: $
Week 17 Projection: -
Ownership: -

Salary: $
Week 17 Projection: -
Ownership: -

Salary: $
Week 17 Projection: -
Ownership: -

Left-scroll
middle-scroll
Right-scroll

Scouting report

by Jeff Hicks

· Oct 14, 2021 · 12:06 PM EDT

DAL RB Ezekiel Elliott - Week 6 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 6 at Patriots

Volume is one way to help predicate success, and Ezekiel Elliott has been that with two 100-yard rushing performances in as many weeks. Zeke gets the New England Patriots, a bottom-10 rush defense according to aFPA. Elliott has not played on the road since Week 2, but that was also the first sign that his workload and subsequent production started their upward trajectory.

by Jeff Hicks

· Oct 08, 2021 · 9:49 AM EDT

DAL RB Ezekiel Elliott - Week 5 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 5 vs Giants

Ezekiel Elliott single-handedly knocked the Panthers out of the top stop in aFPA against running backs with his 143-yard effort in Week 4. His matchup against the Giants is easier according to aFPA but New York has only allowed two 100-yard rushers and two rushing touchdowns in four games. What helps raise Zeke’s fantasy floor is New York’s willingness to allow backs to catch the ball. The Giants allow 6.5 receptions to backs on average and fellow RB Tony Pollard has seen his touches and snaps decrease each of the last three weeks.

by Jeff Hicks

· Oct 01, 2021 · 10:34 AM EDT

DAL RB Ezekiel Elliott - Week 4 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 4 vs Carolina Panthers

For the third straight week, Ezekiel Elliott topped 70% of snaps played and the workload produced fantasy points. His reward Week 4 is the top-ranked Panthers rush defense according to schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed (aFPA). The Panthers have allowed zero 25-yard rushers and only one team has touched 45 yards on the ground (Jets). Two successful NFL backs, Alvin Kamara and Phillip Lindsay, each rushed for five yards. Zeke has a tough hill to climb but once again his role in the passing game will keep his floor from hitting rock-bottom. Elliott is a borderline RB1 in half-point PPR formats according to 4for4’s Week 4 running back rankings.

by Jeff Hicks

· Sep 23, 2021 · 12:00 PM EDT

DAL RB Ezekiel Elliott - Week 3 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 3 vs Eagles

If you were to take the names away from the stat sheet you would hope Ezekiel Elliott’s stat line would be the better of the two. Zeke is getting outplayed by Tony Pollard and that included negative and neutral game scripts. The Cowboys ran the ball 29 times in Week 2, 15 more times than Week 1. Elliott out-carried Pollard 16-11 but lost the yardage battle 109-71. Pollard also finished with one more catch than Zeke (3-2). The Eagles defense is top 10 against the running back position and has held every back with double-digit carries under 50 yards this season. Overall, running backs are averaging 3.71 yards per carry against Philly. With Jalen Hurts on track to torch a poor Cowboys defense, Elliott is going to have to step up and literally carry the offense with the idea of limiting Hurts’ time on the field.

by Jeff Hicks

· Sep 15, 2021 · 12:46 PM EDT

DAL RB Ezekiel Elliott - Week 2 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 2 vs Chargers

It was apparent that Ezekiel Elliott was used as a pass blocker to help alleviate pressure on Dak Prescott Week 1 against Tampa Bay. Elliott did well with his role but it led to a disappointing fantasy performance. Washington allowed 107 rushing yards on 23 running back carries including 20-for-90 to Antonio Gibson. A similar performance from Zeke against the Chargers defense would go a long way to trusting Dallas’s lead back.

by Jeff Hicks

· Sep 08, 2021 · 12:00 PM EDT

DAL RB Ezekiel Elliott - Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 1 vs. Buccaneers

We will get to see if Ezekiel Elliott is in the best shape of his life against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs defense enter 2021 ranked first in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to the running back position. Tampa is bringing back their front seven that includes a healthy Vita Vea and the Cowboys will be without guard Zack Martin (COVID-19).

What will continue to keep Elliott’s fantasy floor higher is his work in the passing game. In four complete games with Dak Prescott in 2020, Elliott saw 31 targets and 23 receptions. The Cowboys were trailing a lot in those games and that is very much on the table Thursday against Tampa Bay. It is realistic to think Week 1 is Zeke’s worst of the season and he still finishes as an RB2.

by Jeff Hicks

· Jul 18, 2021 · 10:46 AM EDT

DAL RB Ezekiel Elliott - 2021 Fantasy Football Outlook

Fantasy Upside

Like the majority of the Cowboys' offense, Ezekiel Elliott is happy to see Dak Prescott back under center. Prior to Dak’s Week 5 season-ending injury, Elliott was seeing a minimum of 20 touches per game and collected 120-plus total yards in three of four contests. Zeke also saw at least six targets in three of five games Dak started and was on the field no fewer than 76.8% of Dallas’ offensive snaps. The 26-year old remains a dual-threat on offense and will have success behind a healthy offensive line and with a quadrant of receiving options keeping opposing defenses honest.

Fantasy Downside

His touch and yardage total changed with Andy Dalton and Ben DiNucci under center. And as much as it is easy to say injuries happen, another injury to Prescott would result in a shock to the Cowboys' offense. Elliott has also seen his yard per carry drop in three consecutive seasons. While YPC is not a dependable statistic year-over-year, it is a concern to see a mid-20's feature back declining. Zeke will also lose rushing and receiving downs to backup Tony Pollard. Elliott did not play Week 15 and Pollard took advantage, collecting 18 total touches with six coming through the air. Pollard’s nine targets in Week 15 were the third-most by a Cowboys running back in 2020. Pollard averaged 0.30 more yards per carry despite the same quarterback and offensive line issues. Elliott saw 143 more rushing attempts than Pollard last season, a concern for 2021. A lot of this would be solved by an improved Cowboys defense. Dallas’ strength of schedule is concerning as well. The Cowboys' offense as a whole has four games against top-five defenses according to 4for4’s Schedule-Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed. They also have one more against a top 10 unit. Zeke has seven games against top 10 rushing units.

2021 Bottom Line

The return of Dak Prescott and the majority of the Cowboys starting offensive line provides hope for Elliott, but a difficult schedule, elite passing options, and one of the best handcuff running backs in fantasy lurk as caps to his ceiling. Zeke projects as an RB1 with the upside to be one of, if not the top fantasy running back in 2021.