The Dallas Cowboys may have found their No. 1 running back.
Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the team agreed to a deal with Ezekiel Elliott, bringing the three-time Pro Bowler back to where he spent his first seven years in the NFL.
This comes after the two sides met and explored a potential reunion. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made it clear he believes the 28-year-old has a lot left in the tank.
"I know this, I saw as recent as the end of the year, I saw Zeke play," he told reporters. "And I will tell you he's good enough to be a starter."
Fantasy football managers probably feel differently.
Elliott's 642 yards, three touchdowns and 3.5 yards per carry with the New England Patriots in 2023 were all career lows. His projected volume of touches will warrant roster consideration, but he's unlikely to be somebody you can rely on from week to week.
The raw numbers don't align with Jones' assessment of the 6'0", 225-pound back.
Elliott's lackluster year with the Patriots didn't come in isolation. His yards per game declined each year before that, going from an NFL-best 108.7 as a rookie in 2016 to 58.4 in 2022. By the time his first tenure in Dallas was winding toward its conclusion, Tony Pollard had clearly eclipsed him as the best rushing threat on the roster.
But it looks like the Cowboys will once again position him as the lead ball-carrier. Because of that, he's worth taking a flier on in the late rounds of standard fantasy drafts and stashing on the bench.
Elliott's impact across the rest of the offense should be minimal since his arrival won't change the overall approach of head coach Mike McCarthy.
Quarterback Dak Prescott's 590 attempts were the fourth-most in the league, which came McCarthy spent the 2023 offseason emphasizing the importance of the running game. Dallas didn't operate like a franchise that intends to shift the burden off Prescott too much.
When it comes to the respective fantasy values of Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, Elliott's return is likely to register little effect.
