The New England Patriots picked up their first win of the 2023 season over the New York Jets in Week 3, and a big reason why was because of a strong outing from Ezekiel Elliott. Now, the Patriots are set to face off against Elliott's old team in the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, and it sounds like he is set to have a big role in their game plan for this one.

Despite operating as Rhamondre Stevenson's backup through three games, Elliott has been far more impressive than New England's star running back. Stevenson's struggles have been concerning, especially with the improved play of the offensive line against the Jets, and as a result, the Patriots are going to give Elliott starter reps for their game against Dallas.

While the parameters of this update are fairly vague, this is pretty big news for the Patriots. This seems to be an admission that Ezekiel Elliott has outperformed Stevenson to this point, and while it may not be a permanent move, it's a noteworthy one nonetheless. Elliott also has some familiarity with the Cowboys defense, which could help him put together a big day.

New England is going to need a lot to go their way in order to pick up a victory over Dallas, but another big outing from Elliott would surely go a long way to helping them achieve that goal. What this enhanced role for Elliott will look like remains to be seen, but it seems safe to say that Elliott could be set for his second straight solid outing for the Pats.