Dallas Cowboys: Will Ezekiel Elliott win the rushing title in 2018?

The Dallas Cowboys hope their star running back Ezekiel Elliott can win another NFL rushing title this season as he is set to be the focal point on offense.

The Dallas Cowboys will likely be relying heavily on Ezekiel Elliott and the run game. The Cowboys have had a ground and pound style over the last couple of seasons but never before have they entered a season without a dominant outside threat.

Sure Dez Bryant had his struggles but you eventually had to cover him, now this offense is without that known commodity. They also lost Jason Witten which could prove to be a much bigger blow. Bottom line, much of the weight will be placed on Elliott’s shoulders as he attempts to carry this team to the playoffs.

It is no secret that Elliott is the Dallas Cowboys heartbeat, he will set the tone for most games. Dak Prescott is more of a stoic, reserved leader on the field, while Elliott leads by force, aggression, and example. Plus you have to believe the Cowboys want to throw as little as possible in order to maximize their time of possession.

The main question here has to be can Elliott repeat if not beat the records he set during his rookie season? During the 2017 season, he averaged 98 yards per game which was the best in the NFL, and he missed six games. Elliott will likely see more carries than he ever has before at any level this season and that is very promising for this football team.

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The Dallas Cowboys have invested heavily once again in their offensive line, landing Cameron Fleming, Connor Williams, and a few other offensive linemen this offseason. The purpose of bringing in Williams was to give this offensive line a (potential) perennial starter at left guard.

Williams is an incredibly aggressive and vicious run blocker who does not stop until the whistle is blown. He is athletic and will easily push to start at left guard by the time training camp is over. That alone is a fantastic sign because now there is a player who can fit in like a Zack Martin or Travis Frederick and solidify the best offensive line in football.

Elliott is also lacking any other real suitors at the position. Sure there is a ton of noise about Tavon Austin being listed as a running back (shoulder shrug, alright), but what does that really mean? Austin will have opportunities to get the ball in his hands, they just will not come at the expense of Elliott. Austin is expected to have more of a Lance Dunbar-type of role.

The Cowboys most likely made that trade because they wanted to see if Austin could come in and do some Alvin Kamara-like things in the passing game. Other than Austin, rookie Bo Scarborough, and Rod Smith, the cupboard at running back is pretty bare. With that in mind, Elliott is in for a major workload and has to be thought of as the number one running back heading into most fantasy football drafts.

Next: Dallas Cowboys: Who were the best additions to the team during the 2018 offseason?

If Zeke can stay on the field for all 16 games (plus postseason) there is no telling how far the Dallas Cowboys can really go.

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