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Gently place your 11-month-old in a high chair, strap on a bib, serve him a generous portion of marinara-coated spaghetti and let the crime scene unfold.
That, my fellow fantasy friends, is how messy the Dallas Cowboys backfield currently is.
Most believe Dalvin Cook’s arrival in Big D further complicates an already indecipherable running back corps. Before the veteran signed on the dotted line, Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn were expected to form a committee.
[ Gamer's Guide to the Gridiron: Fantasy football forecasts and NFL betting picks ]
Attempting to get inside the mind of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, here’s how this self-proclaimed fearless forecaster is handicapping the Cowboys' weekly RB workload.
Rico Dowdle 10-12 touches per game
Despite what his last name may suggest, Dowdle shouldn’t dawdle in Dallas this season. Barring injury, he’s destined to be the primary ball carrier in an upper-tiered offense. Last year, he generated a respectable 2.91 YAC per attempt and ranked RB9 in yards created per touch, though his 15.7% missed tackle rate left much to be desired. He also hauled in 77.3% of his targets.
ESPN’s Mike Clay projects the Cowboys to have a bottom-10 offensive line. That’s a concern, but with the second-easiest strength of schedule for fantasy RBs, Dowdle could occasionally creep into the RB2 conversation in 12-team leagues.
At his ultra affordable ADP (173.85, RB50), he’s .. interesting. Remember, Dallas ran the rock the 13th-most times in the league last season.
Ezekiel Elliott 9-11 touches per game
The video of Zeke slumping over and grabbing his knees after a simple arm-tackle drill in training camp should raise eyebrows. The dude mirrored what your overweight drunk uncle typically does after three plays of backyard football on Thanksgiving. No bueno.
In his second tour of duty with Dallas, Elliott will no doubt play a role in short-yardage and, presumably, goal-line situations. If he's deployed in that manner, it provides upside for him in 12-team and deeper leagues. The chances of Zeke crossing the chalk 6-8 times are significant.
Also, as displayed last year in New England, he’s still an effective receiver. With the Patriots in 2023, he ranked RB12 in yards per route run, caught 78.5% of his intended looks and totaled 51 receptions. Still, his 2.53 YAC per attempt and 13.0% missed tackle rates are proof the 29 year-old is aging — and rapidly.
Dalvin Cook 4-6 touches per game
Don’t let the shirtless medicine ball workouts passed around social media fool you. Cook may be only 29, but he resembled a 79-year-old last season. As witnessed late in 2022 and during his uneventful 2023 stint with the Jets, he lived down to what his last name implies.
On 22.1% of the opportunity share last year, Cook averaged a meaningless 3.6 yards per touch. His 2.21 yards after contact per attempt and 17.9% missed tackle rate were also laughable.
As Tom Pelissero reported, Cook will need time to “ramp up” and “familiarize himself” with the system before suiting up. As of now, he’s a late-round flier or deep-league stash at best. The brand name is making divots on the back nine of his career.
Deuce Vaughn largely inactive
The mini fridge (5-foot-6, 176 pounds) with feet is inarguably the most explosive playmaker in the Cowboys backfield. He’s someone to stash in very deep leagues — especially those that award bonuses for return yardage — but he's likely a weekly inactive if the aforementioned trio avoids significant injury.
Vaughn has only gripped the pigskin 30 times in his one NFL season. However, he’s an impactful pass catcher and decent between-the-tackles mini-me who could come out of nowhere down the homestretch.