Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott came under fire last season for a major dip in production, and that only continued after Week 1's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Elliott only had 11 carries for 33 yards as Dak Prescott threw the ball all over the field.

Elliott had a message for his critics on Wednesday, suggesting they're not appreciating the small things he does to make positive contributions. That includes blocking:

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While this is true, Elliott is paid a lot of money to be way more productive than he was in Week 1, as well as last season when he rushed for under 1,000 yards in 15 games. His rushing yards per game average has dropped every season in the NFL since he led the league with 108.7 yards per game as a rookie. His recent production is easily replaceable.

There's also the fantasy football component here. Elliott was a consensus high draft pick for fantasy football in 2021, and players with him on their rosters aren't going to be happy when he's putting up duds like he did in Week 1. While he obviously doesn't care about anybody else's fantasy roster, this plays into some of the criticism he's receiving.

The Cowboys will surely try to establish Elliott more moving forward, but given the return of Prescott and their impressive weapons in the passing game, that will likely remain a bigger focus on offense. The running back can make an impact in the passing game as well, but he was quiet on that front with just two catches for six yards against Tampa Bay.