With the 2017 NFL Draft completed and most of the hot free agents now signed to teams, it is time to start talking about Fantasy Football. ESPN recently ranked their top position players for most of the fantasy football drafts, and they listed the Arizona Cardinals' David Johnson as the number one running back on the board. However, Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones just made a comment to ESPN that indicates that fantasy football players should focus on Ezekiel Elliott instead.
Ezekiel Elliott in 2017 fantasy football
Jerry Jones wasn't talking about fantasy football when he was discussing Ezekiel Elliott.
Jones was instead talking about the 2017 Dallas Cowboys and their season. According to Jones, Elliott is the one offensive player that is most problematic for opposing teams, and the Cowboys will do everything they can to get Ezekiel the ball every chance that they get.
While the value of David Johnson comes from running and receiving the ball, it sounds like the Cowboys will do similar things with Elliott this year. In 2016, Elliott never caught more than four passes in a game, which is why he ranks in 2017 behind both Johnson and the Pittsburgh Steelers' Le'Veon Bell for 2017 fantasy football cheat sheets.
David Johnson and his value as a fantasy football running back
More and more fantasy football leagues reward receptions, and that makes versatile running backs like David Johnson and Le'Veon Bell so valuable.
In 2016, Johnson led the NFL in all-purpose offensive yards with 2,118 yards. While Johnson only ranked seventh in rushing yards, he added 80 receptions for 879 yards.
While Ezekiel Elliott ranked ahead of Le'Veon Bell in all-purpose yards, Bell missed four games due to a suspension, which is why he ranks higher than Elliott.
Despite playing four fewer games than Elliott, Bell only fell 99 yards short thanks to 75 receptions for 616 yards through the season.
Ezekiel Elliott vs. David Johnson
When it comes to the 2017 fantasy football season, one important thing that owners need to keep in mind is whether or not they play in a league that counts receptions.
If they do, David Johnson might still be the preferred running back to take on draft day.
However, Ezekiel Elliott will get a lot more chances to catch the ball as well. Lance Dunbar, the Dallas Cowboys' third down back from 2016, is gone now. The Cowboys still have Darren McFadden, who is good at receiving, but if Ezekiel Elliott gets an increased load, it will make a difference.
Ezekiel Elliott led the NFL in rushing yards in 2016 by over 300 yards. Elliott averaged 101 yards a game on the ground and also scored 15 touchdowns, which was actually one less than Johnson. It is a close battle but this could be the most exciting year for running backs since Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson were battling for dominance.
