Alfred Morris', Rod Smith's Fantasy Outlooks After Ezekiel Elliott Suspension

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will begin his six-game suspension this week, which means backups Alfred Morris, Rod Smith and Darren McFadden are suddenly major fantasy football commodities.

Although the suspension had been delayed due to a series of legal maneuvers, his temporary restraining order was denied this week, per Kate Hairopoulus of the Dallas Morning News. Unless something changes, he should remain out until Week 15.

After leading the NFL in rushing as a rookie last season, Elliott has performed well again in 2017 with 900 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns in seven games. While Elliott is an elite talent, much of his success can be credited to the Cowboys' top-flight offensive line as well.

Dallas' line is so good that whoever is running behind it instantly becomes a candidate to put up huge numbers.

That was the case with DeMarco Murray before he left for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, and even McFadden had a great statistical year before the Cowboys drafted Elliott.

Most expected McFadden to be Elliott's primary backup this season and the fill-in starter in the event of a suspension.

Head coach Jason Garrett surprised the masses, however, by giving Morris the backup job and keeping McFadden inactive for the first seven games. So far this season, Morris has been used sparingly, but he has produced to the tune of 13 carries for 105 yards.

He has flashed big-play ability in limited opportunities, breaking off a 70-yard run in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams.

Jane Slater of NFL Network reported Morris is expected to be the starter with Elliott out, adding that Smith will be the No. 2 and McFadden No. 3. Jon Machota of the Dallas News showed Morris working with the 1's:

Morris is somewhat one-dimensional and isn't much of a pass-catcher, but he had three 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Washington Redskins, including 1,613 yards as a rookie in 2012.

The 30-year-old McFadden has struggled through injuries for much of his career, but his talent has always been apparent.

It was on full display in 2015 when the former first-round pick for the Oakland Raiders appeared in 16 games and made 10 starts for the Cowboys. He rushed for 1,089 yards and three touchdowns, while reeling in 40 receptions for 328 yards.

His lack of usage this season is disconcerting from a fantasy perspective, but his pass-catching skills should give him a role in the offense for as long as Elliott is out.

Both Morris and McFadden should be added in all fantasy leagues, but only Morris is an immediate starter due to the pecking order that has been deployed thus far.

Fans in deeper leagues could also look to Smith, who has 10 carries for 69 yards this year. Matt Berry of ESPN discussed the 25-year-old's upside:

Evan Silva of Rotoworld also expects Smith and McFadden to have some sorts of roles in Week 9 against the Chiefs:

If Morris gets the lion's share of the carries, he has a chance to provide RB1 production while Elliott is on the shelf, although it will be a risk to put him in your lineup right away.

Meanwhile, Smith might have the most upside during this stretch if he is able to wrestle the starting role away from Morris. Of course, as Adam Caplan of Sirius XM noted, the young player only has 12 carries in four seasons.

The uncertainty makes each of these three backs worthy of a pickup and none safe starts for Week 9, but it appears you should take Morris, Smith and McFadden in order if given an opportunity.