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Examining Expectations for Ezekiel Elliott

Rookie Ezekiel Elliott has come into the with the highest of expectations. He was selected fourth overall in a league that has continued to shy away from running backs early in the draft. Elliott has joined a roster that boasts the best run-blocking in the league.

Running backs are expected to hit the ground… well… running. The learning curve for RBs is considered lower than any other position in football. For a guy drafted as highly a Elliott was, any needed learning is mitigated by the perception of overwhelming talent.

Cowboys Headlines - Why Touchdowns, Not Yards Will Determine Cowboys SuccessTo top things off, Elliott isn't joining the typically bad teams who have early picks in the draft. These Cowboys are much closer to the 2014 East Champions who went 12-4, having plummeted last year because of to , , and other key players. Assuming their health doesn't betray us again this year, Elliott will be a shiny, new tool in a fully functional and even league-leading offensive attack.

Knowing and believing all those things, what is a reasonable expectation for 's rookie season?

Some have said 2,000 yards. That would not only break the Cowboys single-season record but it would be the seventh-best rushing season in NFL . I'm not saying that can't happen but putting it out there as any kind of expectation is fraught with peril. Injuries aside, we still haven't seen this kid perform at this level. Elliott could be the next great one but he has to at least have one or two carries in the NFL before I can comfortably project it.

The best rookie RB season in history came in 1983 with Erick Dickerson. He ran for 1,808 yards and 18 touchdowns in 16 games. He also chipped in 51 catches for 404 receiving yards and two more scores. Monster season by any level, but incredible for a rookie. The next best season by a rookie didn't come all that close.

What's more, this was over 30 years ago! Running backs were a much bigger part of the game then, evident by the 390 carries that Dickerson had during that season. It is far more rare to see a modern back get that many touches, although that's exactly what happened with in 2014 (392 carries, 57 catches).

Cowboys Blog - Cowboys CTK: DeMarco Murray Dominates #29 4Still, Murray was a fourth-year veteran at that time. He was playing for his next contract, whereas Ezekiel Elliott is just getting started. Can a modern era rookie possibly have the same production as a guy in the early 80s?

The modern standard for running backs is Minnesota's . His rookie season (2007) was a great one; 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns. He only started nine games and played in 14, which did hamper his numbers a bit. Perhaps the best single stat from that year was his 5.6 yards-per-carry, about as good as you can ask for from a guy with that many touches.

Ezekiel Elliott would be a godsend if he can just replicate that production level from Peterson. The 5.6 YPC would take all kinds of pressure off of Tony Romo, leaving third-downs manageable and at times avoiding them completely. The Cowboys would get back to the time-of-possession dominance that helped to protect their and pushed them to the success of the 2014 season.

We have to remember that Dallas has not yet committed to or shown evidence of how they will distribute the workload at running back. , , and could all chip in on Elliott's production. Dallas may try to keep the production levels high for Ezekiel Elliott by keeping him fresh, avoiding the wear and tear that caused DeMarco Murray's play to trail off late in 2014.

Cowboys Headlines - Another Reason To Love Dallas Cowboys Rookie Ezekiel ElliottAgain, none of this is to try to dissuade you from having high hopes. I think the sky is absolutely the limit when it comes to Ezekiel Elliott joining the offensive line. If there was ever a situation tailor-made for a running back to excel and even break barriers, it's this one in Dallas.

There are lots of reasons for excitement among in 2016. Zeke Elliott's arrival isn't just another; it may be number one.

Jess Haynie
Jess Haynie
Cowboys fan since 1992, blogger since 2011. Bringing you the objectivity of an outside perspective with the passion of a die-hard fan. I love to talk to my readers, so please comment on any article and I'll be sure to respond!

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