The NFC East is full of talented players at the running back position. And in Week 1, the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Dallas Cowboys all had players who were solid to start the year.
While each running back was utilized differently, they were all effective. But with each team being in different situations during their games, each ball carrier had varying amounts of success.
Some were held back by their team’s lack of success on offense. Others served as the main force for their team on this side of the ball. And while it is still far too early to know which running back will be the best by the end of the season, there was a clear best from the first week of the season. In this piece, we offer up our rankings and No. 1 on the list shouldn’t be a surprise at all.
4. Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliot
In the Cowboys’ Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, running back Ezekiel Elliott played well. But the lack of production from the offense as a whole led the team to lean away from the run game.
The Cowboys lost by a score of 19-3. And even when the game felt close, it seemed as if a comeback just wasn’t in the cards.
Elliot finished the day with 52 rushing yards on 10 carries. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry, yet the ball was mainly not put into his hands.
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott gained between 5 and 7 yards on eight of his 10 carries Sunday vs. Buccaneers. Last year, when limited by knee injury, he went 11 straight games (Weeks 6 to 17) without recording that many gains of 5 or more yards in same outing. Good sign for run game. pic.twitter.com/YlroD18lFP
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) September 12, 2022
He also caught one pass, which resulted in -3 receiving yards. With quarterback Dak Prescott suffering a broken thumb, this offense may be in one of the worst positions in the NFL. Prescott will be out for the foreseeable future, and Cooper Rush will be elevated to starting duties.
With a lack of star power at the QB position, the team may struggle. They may also be playing from behind often. This could lead to them looking away from the run game even more than they did in Week 1.
If utilized correctly, Elliott seems to still be a productive ball carrier out of the backfield. He has been a 1,000-yard rusher in all but two of his NFL seasons. And he has remained a crucial piece of this offense. But when looking at the position that he is currently in, this could prove to be a long season for the veteran running back.