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Fantasy football: Cowboys plan 20-25 reps for Ezekiel Elliott in Week 1

By Alex Butler
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is expected to join the team for its Week 1 game against the New York Giants on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. File Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is expected to join the team for its Week 1 game against the New York Giants on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. File Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI | License Photo

Sept. 4 (UPI) -- While the news of the end of Ezekiel Elliott's holdout was a good thing for many fantasy football team owners, the Dallas Cowboys running back might not see his typical workload in Week 1.

Sources told NFL Network the team plans to give Elliott 20 to 25 reps in the season opener against the New York Giants on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. Elliott had nearly 48 percent of the Cowboys' offensive touches last season.

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He was in for an average of 59.3 snaps last season, trailing only Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (60.3). Elliott was in for 82.6 percent of the Cowboys' offensive snaps in 2018.

The two-time NFL rushing champion agreed to a six-year, $90 million extension with the Cowboys on Wednesday. Elliott is expected to attend Wednesday's practice.

Elliott has led the league in rushing yards per game in each of his three NFL seasons. His 101.2 career rushing yards per game trail only Jim Brown.

The news of Elliott's limited workload against the Giants shouldn't keep him out of your fantasy football lineup, but it will hamper his production to start the season. Elliott had a career-high 381 touches last season, meaning he averaged about 25 touches per game in 2018.

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If he is limited to 25 reps Sunday, that could mean he only receives a ceiling of 15 touches against the Giants.

I would only trust Elliott as a flex option or mid-range RB2 in Week 1.

The Giants and Cowboys kickoff at 4:25 p.m. EDT Sunday at AT&T Stadium.

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