Fantasy Alert: Ezekiel Elliott Reportedly to Get RB1 Reps for Patriots vs. Cowboys

Fresh off a strong performance in last week's win over the New York Jets, the New England Patriots plan to start relying on Ezekiel Elliott for more work.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Elliott is slated for "starter reps" in Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Elliott, who was released by the Cowboys in March, rushed for 80 yards on 16 carries last week against the Jets. He has received between 30 and 38 percent of the snaps over the first three weeks, while Rhamonde Stevenson has seen a lion's share of the work.

Stevenson, coming off a 1,000-yard campaign, has struggled mightily with his opportunities in 2023. The third-year back has rushed for just 134 yards on 46 carries, with his 2.9 yards per carry average coming in at a fraction of his 4.8 yards per carry average over his first two seasons.

"I just have to get back to making people miss and breaking some more tackles. I didn't break a couple tackles I think I should've run through," Stevenson told the Patriots' website. "First, it's opportunities just getting into the second level, getting those one-on-ones with the defensive backs and things like that."

Elliott spent his first seven seasons in Dallas. He racked up at least 876 rushing yards in each campaign and currently sits behind only Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett on the Cowboys' all-time rushing list.

Dallas moved on in a cap-related move and handed over the keys to Tony Pollard, who has excelled in his starring role this season.

From a fantasy perspective, it's hard to trust either Elliott or Stevenson until we see how the snaps play out. If it turns more into a 50-50 timeshare, then neither back will be much more than a flex play moving forward.