Fantasy Football: Redrafting the First Round After 5 Weeks
2. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Rarely do you see an NFL rookie drafted anywhere near the first three rounds of fantasy drafts, but in 2016, Ezekiel Elliott changed that. And after five weeks, we can officially say that his average draft position (ADP) of seventh overall might have been too low.
Despite a slow two-game start that featured two fumbles and just a 3.2 yards per carry average, Elliott saw the volume and goal line work to remain an effective player while he found his footing. And boy did he find it, becoming the only running back to post three 100-yard games to date in the 2016 season. He is now the third-ranked scorer at the running back position, a feat he is achieving with a rookie quarterback and an injured Dez Bryant.
In terms of Net Expected Points, he ranks fifth in the NFL for backs with more than 35 carries with an astounding 0.09 Rushing NEP per rush on an NFL high 109 attempts. He leads the NFL in Rushing Successes with 52 (the next closest back is Johnson with 43) and Success Rate at 48%. In short, he's been the best runner in the NFL through five games.
With Tony Romo and Dez Bryant set to return shortly, and the offensive line also getting healthier with the return of star left tackle Tyron Smith, Elliott's pace of 1,747 yards and 16 touchdowns seems well within reach. It's simply been a long time since we've seen a back as talented as Elliott behind an offensive line as dominant as this Cowboys unit.
