Analysis

Rico Dowdle got the start in the backfield for the Cowboys, and while Elliott eventually saw a comparable workload (eight touches to Dowdle's 11), the veteran was less effective. So far, Elliott's return to Dallas hasn't gone well -- he's averaged just 3.5 yards per carry through two games, and only a three-yard TD plunge in the opener has salvaged his fantasy production. A breakout seems unlikely in Week 3 against a stingy Ravens run defense that's allowed the fewest rushing yards per game in the league through two weeks.

Analysis

Elliott was on the field for Dallas' first possession, but he alternated drives with Rico Dowdle for the entirety of the game. Elliott was the more efficient of the duo by averaging 4.0 yards per carry, and he also plowed into the end zone from three yards away late in the second quarter. A continued even split between Elliott and Dowdle would be bad from a fantasy perspective for each rusher, though Dallas will presumably be willing to turn to one more consistently if either Elliott of Dowdle can prove effective with his opportunity.

Analysis

Though the Cowboys could end up riding the hotter hand of the two backs as the game goes along, both Elliott and Dowdle look set to be part of the team's game plan to begin the contest. Pelissero adds that practice-squad member Dalvin Cook could factor into Dallas' backfield mix as soon as Week 2 against the Saints, but the Cowboys chose not to elevate Cook for Week 1, leaving Deuce Vaughn as the No. 3 option behind Elliott and Dowdle. With the threat of a timeshare with Dowdle on the table for at least Week 1, Elliott might not make for an especially enticing option in fantasy lineups outside of deeper leagues.

Analysis

After spending a season in New England and producing a career-low 3.5 yards per carry, Elliott returned to Dallas this offseason on a cheap, one-year contract, but the 29-year-old still appears headed for a significant workload. The Cowboys don't have a clear No. 1 option in the backfield following the departure of Tony Pollard, so Elliott and Dowdle seem primed to handle the majority of the carries, with Royce Freeman (groin) and 2023 sixth-round pick Deuce Vaughn (hamstring) also potentially in the mix. Elliott scored 24 total touchdowns with 2,257 scrimmage yards in 32 regular-season games over his last two seasons with the Cowboys, but it's highly unlikely he'll approach that level of production in 2024.

Analysis

All of the incentives require Dallas making the playoffs, with the other parts entailing Elliott playing more than half the team's snaps ($500,000), scoring 10 touchdowns ($250,000) or reaching 1,100 yards from scrimmage ($250,000). He did all three of those things in 2021, and two of the three in his most recent season with the Cowboys (2022). A one-year sojourn to New England proved less productive, though Elliott handled some huge workloads late in the season after Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a high-ankle injury, averaging 14.8 carries and 5.2 catches over the Patriots' final six games. The Cowboys probably won't call on him that often, even with their other backfield options -- Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis and Snoop Conner -- being less than stellar. The Cowboys didn't draft a running back in April, and none of their veterans besides Elliott has ever run for more than 521 yards in a season.

Analysis

Pending a physical, Elliott will attempt to reignite his career in Dallas, the team with which he spent the first seven years of his NFL career and earned two All-Pro nods. The Cowboys recently lost Tony Pollard to free agency and, to the surprise of most analysts, opted not to select a running back in the 2024 NFL Draft, giving Elliott an easy path to the No. 1 role in a backfield that also includes Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn (ankle). It's unclear how much the former rushing champ has left in the tank entering his age-29 season, as across 17 games with the Patriots last season he carried 184 times for just 642 yards (3.5 YPC) plus three scores while adding a 51-313-2 receiving line.

Analysis

The two sides have been connected throughout the offseason, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reported last month that Elliott and the Cowboys had mutual interest in a reunion. The Cowboys lost Tony Pollard to the Titans in free agency and only added end-of-roster types Royce Freeman and Snoop Conner to a running back room that includes Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis. Elliott played in all 17 games for the Patriots last season, carrying 184 times for 642 yards and three touchdowns while adding a 51-313-2 receiving line on 65 targets.

Analysis

Elliott, who currently remains a free agent and turns 29 in July, played out the 2023 season with the Patriots and suited up for all 17 regular-season games. He rushed 184 times for 642 yards and three touchdowns, with a substantially higher workload during the final five games while Rhamondre Stevenson missed time with an ankle injury. He spent the first seven years with the Cowboys, who currently have only Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn (ankle) and Malik Davis atop the depth chart, so a reunion could make real sense if Zeke is open to a relatively team-friendly deal.