Zeke Wk 13: who to believe??

[Bills04 46]

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Ezekiel Elliott (knee) will have a "serious load" on Thursday night against New Orleans. 

Elliott's most ardent backer, Jones dismissed questions about easing Zeke's workload while he's hampered by bone bruise on his knee. ESPN's Ed Werder reported last week that the team had considered giving Elliott "time off to heal" and get ready for a postseason run, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said the Cowboys could "alter" Zeke's usage. Not so, says Jerry. An ineffective and slow Elliott rushed for 25 yards and a short touchdown on nine carries in Dallas' Thanksgiving loss to Vegas. Tony Pollard, meanwhile, continues to rip off explosive plays and appears to be the Cowboys' best running back option. Unfortunately for Pollard drafters, that doesn't matter. Pollard won't be much more than a flex option in 12-team leagues as long as the Cowboys are committed to Elliott as the rapidly declining centerpiece of their offense.

 

I *was* either going to FLEX Zeke, or sit him, based on Ed's and Ian's "reports."  What do people make of this??

Me: full-point PPR.  RB1 = A. Mattison; RB2 = J-Rob.  Also have NYJ RB T. Coleman, and FLEX TE D. Knox (and/or DET TJ Hockenson).

 

[weepaws 2,516]

I think Pollard continues to eat at the Zeke work load.  

Knox is a must start every game the Bills play.  

[easilyscan 573]

I have Pollard, & my league rewards return yards & TD's. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when he had the 100 yard kick return TD.

[weepaws 2,516]

I think mr Gaskin broke the tread this past weekend, lol he was starting for me. 

[easilyscan 573]

42 minutes ago, weepaws said:

I think mr Gaskin broke the tread this past weekend, lol he was starting for me. 

Yes he did! 

I thought the trend would continue & sat him 4 Pat Freiermuth

Cost me 7 pts!

[weepaws 2,516]

I was using him in flex, went with C Wilson of the Cowboys.  

Now the big question, how about Vs the Gmen? 

[easilyscan 573]

I'm concerned with Lindsey getting 12 carries in his first week with the team. Luckily for Gaskin owners, he got the red-zone carries.

As long as that continues, he should be OK.

Rushing	Rush	Yds	Avg	Long	TD	FL
Myles Gaskin	16	49	3.1	8	2	0
Phillip Lindsay	12	42	3.5	9	0	0
Salvon Ahmed	5	17	3.4	16	0	0
Durham Smythe	2	3	1.5	2	0	0
Tua Tagovailoa	4	0	0.0	2	0	0

[weepaws 2,516]

Yea I don’t know what happen with the Texans, but Lindsay is a good player, I’m also concern.  Lindsay is also a treat to Gaskin in the passing game once he picks up the system.  Imo.  

[polecatt 405]

I would still play him at RB out of the guys you have unless of course they just bench him.

As last game, I don't expect Zeke to carry a full load. He may not see more than about 10 carries, and may struggle to get 35 yards. Tony Pollard will probably get as many or more touches. Zeke will still get the ball at the goal line though. The chances he scores at least one TD are pretty high. He won't be shut out in the passing game completely either.

I could easily see 40-50 total yards, 3 catches and a TD as a reasonable expectation

[AxeElf 787]

If there's one RB that can take a serious load, it's Ezekiel Elliott.

[Bills04 46]

I switched my FLEX to Zeke.  His historical stat lines: 35 rush & TD, 6 catches for 30 yards; and 75 rush, 6 catches for 60 yards with a TD.  "Historically," D, Knox has not done much vs. NE DEF (3 for 51; 1 for 33).  Both have tough matchups..  NO DEF = tops vs. rush; NE DEF #2 vs. TEs.

[easilyscan 573]

12 hours ago, AxeElf said:

If there's one RB that can take a serious load, it's Ezekiel Elliott.

I don't like the sound of that 

[KojackDaniels 5]

[Law 220]

I'm nervous. Pollard scares me. The Saint run D scares me.

But in a yardage-heavy PPR league, I may still use Zeke. He will likely get 4+ receptions and may fall in the endzone. I'm less confident he'll get 50+ yards on the ground.

It's Zeke, Barkley, Cooper, and Metcalf to fill 3 spots. None is all the hot right now.

[AxeElf 787]

1 hour ago, Law said:

It's Zeke, Barkley, Cooper, and Metcalf to fill 3 spots. None is all the hot right now.

In August, you wouldn't have thought you'd be trying to figure out which one of these is the least bad in December.  lol

[Law 220]

I'm sure I'll change my mind at the last minute and be wrong. I take solace in knowing that whatever decision I make, it will be wrong. 

[Mike FF Today 611]

 

[polecatt 405]

23 minutes ago, Mike FF Today said:

 

In any case, by design or not, his carries are going down too. Last two games, 9 carries each. I wonder when the last time was he had back to back games with single digit carries

[Law 220]

I'm hedging. Playing him one league and sitting him in another.

I'm playing him over Jav Williams and Freeman while sitting him for Jam Williams.

[Ray_T 603]

sure looks like you made the right call in sitting him Law.

honestly, the cowboys shouldnt have even started him this week.   Let the guy get healthy so he can be a beast when you need him.

[Bills04 46]

Crap..  Zeke didn't "fall into the end zone.."  Hopefully Alexander Mattison will make up for Zeke's bad night.

[Emerson's Boozers 1]

Pretty obvious that Pollard is the more explosive running back. Maybe time for Jerry to swallow his pride and give him more playing time and his high priced running back less.

[Law 220]

I should have hedged more!

[TBayXXXVII 2,204]

15 hours ago, polecatt said:

In any case, by design or not, his carries are going down too. Last two games, 9 carries each. I wonder when the last time was he had back to back games with single digit carries

I'm guessing that had more to do with the knee injury than anything else.

[weepaws 2,516]

3.5 yards per att his last six games , the Zeke isn’t looking real good.  

[polecatt 405]

41 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

I'm guessing that had more to do with the knee injury than anything else.

Somewhat, but I think if Pollard wasn't playing well, Zeke would have seen more carries

[easilyscan 573]

5 hours ago, weepaws said:

3.5 yards per att his last six games , the Zeke isn’t looking real good.  

Maybe all that hair is weighing him down

[Ray_T 603]

13 hours ago, polecatt said:

Somewhat, but I think if Pollard wasn't playing well, Zeke would have seen more carries

for sure.

you got a starter who is dinged up and a backup who is good enough to start on some teams.

then we had a game that the Cowboys were winning.

why play your stud RB and risk re injury if you dont have to?

Let him rest and play Pollard.   If Pollard isnt cutting it, you can throw Zeke back in.

Makes sense to me.   what I dont like is how they make it look like they are gonna give him a big workload and then do the opposite.  as a fantasy owner who has Zeke, it would be nice to have more transparent info.

I understand they arent going to tip their hat and divulge their gameplan just so I can make better fantasy decisions but it is a little frustrating.