Ezekiel Elliott started only five games for the Patriots last season, which came in the final five games when Rhamondre Stevenson went down with a high-ankle sprain. Elliott returned to the Cowboys this offseason, and by default, he will start the season as RB1.
The Cowboys list Elliott as the starting running back on their depth chart, and coach Mike McCarthy confirmed Wednesday that he approved it.
“Hey, let’s be honest. You don’t just play with 11 on offense or defense,” McCarthy said, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “So, I mean usually closer to 14 guys you would consider starters. And this thing even goes further than the depth chart because when you want to announce an offense or announce the defense, teams I’ve been a part of you never just announce 11 guys. So I think it’s a product of that. So it’ll take more than one running back, too. That’s just not the way we want to play. I don’t want to get into rotation. We can talk more about this next week, but those guys will all play.”
Elliott might not get the most snaps or the most touches for the Cowboys, who let Tony Pollard walk in free agency and replaced him with Elliott and Dalvin Cook, who they recently signed to the practice squad.
Rico Dowdle said recently that he expects a bigger role on the offense, and that likely is the case in the team’s running back by committee. Dowdle backed up Pollard last season and had 89 carries for 361 yards.
The Cowboys’ only running back who has extensive experience as a special teams player is Malik Davis, who is on the practice squad.
Dallas’ depth chart includes rookie Marist Liufau over DeMarvion Overshown at linebacker, and three other rookies will start. Cornerback Caelon Carson became a starter after DaRon Bland was injured, and center Cooper Beebe and left tackle Tyler Guyton won starting jobs.
The Cowboys have never started four rookies in the opening game of a season since the AFL-NFL merger.