Assessing Dallas Cowboys running back room: Lock in Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliot for NFL Thursday Night Football Fantasy Pick'em

Ben Verbrugge

Assessing Dallas Cowboys running back room: Lock in Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliot for NFL Thursday Night Football Fantasy Pick'em image

The Dallas Cowboys running back room continues to be one of the most frustrating and difficult backfields to project on a week-to-week basis. Three blowouts to start the season has made it nearly impossible to know what this offense looks like in a normal game script.

So far, Rico Dowdle (23 carries) and Ezekiel Elliott (19 carries) have been splitting the work this season, but we are starting to see Dallas phase their 29-year-old veteran out of the game plan. Elliot has seen his carries reduced each week, with ten in week 1, six in week 2, and only three last week.

Dowdle, on the other hand, has been trending in the opposite direction. After receiving nine touches in the season opener, he has eleven in each of the past two games. During this time, he has seen a significant increase in targets, with ten total in weeks 2 and 3.

Head over to SuperDraft now to take advantage of Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott picks for TNF. They have a fantastic welcome offer: if you use PROMO CODE TEAMSN, you will receive $50 + a free player pick.

The fourth-year back out of South Carolina has been the more efficient runner and should continue to take over this backfield, especially with the Cowboys off to a 1-2 start. The time is now for Dallas to give their best players a majority of the work regardless of Elliott's history with the franchise.

The Cowboys enter their Thursday Night Football matchup with the New York Giants as six-point favorites, meaning they should be in control of this game. The Giants rank in the bottom third in the NFL when it comes to stopping the run, but they have fared better against the pass, ranking in the top half of the league.

This is a game where the Cowboys' running backs should finally find some success, and Dowdle is the guy.

Dowdle's more or less rushing + receiving yards line on SuperDraft is set at 57.5 heading into the game. Picking MORE for Dowdle is a great play. Fading Ezekiel Elliott and selecting LESS on his 28.5 rushing yards line is also the way to go.

Super Draft is offering a C.J. Stroud free pick of over one passing yard, and paring Dowdle, Elliott, and Stroud this week can earn up to six times the payout.

Head over to SuperDraft now to take advantage of Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott picks for TNF. They have a fantastic welcome offer: if you use PROMO CODE TEAMSN, you will receive $50 + a free player pick.

SuperDraft

If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Ben Verbrugge

Ben Verbrugge Photo

Ben Verbrugge is a sports writer with a journalism degree from CSU Dominguez Hills. As a credentialed member of the Los Angeles media, he has covered NBA, WNBA, MLB and NFL events. Participating in and watching sports has always been essential to his life.