'It's About Ezekiel Elliott': Fantasy Impact Of Tyler, Tyron Smith Injury On Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has preached the importance of running back Ezekiel Elliott all offseason. Now, Elliott has a test ahead of him.
Last season, Elliott posted over 1,000 rushing yards on 4.2 yards per carry with 10 rushing touchdowns. Nonetheless, 2021 was considered a down year.
Ranking as the seventh-leading rusher on a partially torn PCL and then being criticized for it is seems harsh. For many running backs, that would be a career year.
Additionally, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stated the team's desire to keep Elliott as the "focal point" of the offense earlier this offseason, which bodes extremely well for his fantasy output. However, the injury to offensive tackle Tyron Smith has the potential to wipe all that out of consideration.
Smith's unfortunate injury - described gruesomely as "hamstring torn off the bone'' - leaves the Cowboys short at the position until at least December.
Now, Jones has said the plan is to put first-round pick Tyler Smith at left tackle following the injury.
The issue is that Tyler hasn't gotten much work at left tackle in training camp and the preseason, as he's battled it out with Connor McGovern for the left guard spot.
"We were looking for ways to get him on the field sooner and thought with Tyron coming into camp healthy – Tyron's one of the best in the business when healthy, if not the best – and that's why we were playing him (Tyler) at guard," Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said. "But we really think his long-term future in the NFL is left tackle. That's why we drafted him in the first round to ultimately be our future left tackle."
Regardless, Elliott will now no longer have the benefit of Tyron, a proven All-Pro at left tackle, blocking for him in the run game this season. While Elliott could have had Tyron at left tackle and Tyler at left guard, which is a promising run-blocking tandem, he'll now have to settle for a makeshift line.
Jerry thinks this can be a running team. Tony Romo has said the same.
Fantasy owners are surely a bit skeptical.
Since 2019, the Cowboys have averaged 5.4 yards per carry when rushing to the left side with Tyron on the field. However, without Tyron, they've averaged just 4.3 yards per carry on such runs. Last season, Dallas averaged 5.0 yards per carry when Tyron was on the field and 4.0 when he wasn't.
"This thing is about Ezekiel Elliott and what kind of year he can have," Jerry Jones recently stated.
Previously, all signs were pointing up for the "kind of year" Elliott can have this season. Now, the outlook is clouded by the injury to their All-Pro left tackle. Fantasy owners beware: the risk in drafting Elliott just went sky high.
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