Following the ruling that Dallas Cowboys star running back's Ezekiel Elliott's six-game suspension will be upheld following his appeal, it will undoubtedly have some major impact on where he will land in fantasy football drafts.
The 22-year-old had quickly burst onto the scene as arguably the most productive player in fantasy football in his first campaign, finishing as the league's leading rusher with 1,631 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns as well as 32 receptions for 363 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in 15 games played. All of this totaled up to 293.4 fantasy points, which was the eighth-highest total last season.
Prior to the suspension, he had been projected as a sure-fire first round selection, placing inside the top-three picks as potentially the first player taken off the board at his position.
However, there had been a growing expectation that the suspension would be kept in place given the nature of the situation that Elliott was involved in. This should drop the Pro Bowler's value down some, as it would put him out of action for the next seven weeks after the season opener against the New York Giants, as he will be eligible to return in Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs. This should still foreseeably see him drop to either the third or fourth round as a stash pick for the draft that will certainly have RB1 value upon his return to the field.
Regardless of how this played out, Elliott should finish as one of top-tier running backs given his talent as a dual-threat running back, both as a runner and a receiving option of the backfield. What also helps out his situation tremendously is that he's playing behind arguably the best offensive line in the league. It is a risk to take him early in the draft given his absence for the bulk of the first half of the fantasy season, but the reward severely outweighs any concerns.
Follow Us
Subscribe