Ezekiel Elliott’s Holdout Trending the Right Way… Enough for Top-Five Fantasy Consideration?

Ezekiel Elliott would be The Wolf's No.1 pick without a holdout. With growing optimism, he's resurfaced into his Top-Four again

Indeed, nothing will be final until it’s actually final in Ezekiel Elliott’s holdout saga. Still, fantasy football owners need all the evidence they can gather while preparing for 2019’s most important Round One dilemma: to Zeke or not to Zeke.

Although the early summer tea leaves were overwhelmingly negative, positive signs have begun to sprout that suggest this is much of “when” and not “if” he signs a new deal.

First, after already offering Zeke the second-highest running back contract, the Cowboys have upped their offer even further to be much closer to Todd Gurley (the highest) than Le’Veon Bell (currently second).

The current hold-up is reportedly on guaranteed money, as the Cowboys are apparently perfectly fine matching or even besting TGIII’s $60 million total, but unwilling to meet Gurley’s $45 million guaranteed. This seems reasonable, given Elliott’s consistent stream of off-field concerns.

Though nothing has been signed, this increased offer at least seems to have reopened the discussion. Instead of animosity, the Cowboys now sense “optimism” this deal will get done ahead of Week 1.

Zeke himself seems more encouraged, saying he hopes to “be a Cowboy for the rest of my life.” Granted, in the same interview, he acknowledged how the Cowboys also lost other elite RBs to contract quarrels, noting:

“But even Emmitt Smith, the greatest running back ever, ended up going to play a couple of years for another organization. So it’s just the nature of the game, but I want to be a Dallas Cowboy for as long as I can.”

Still, the optimism can’t be ignored. Sources continue suggesting the sides are close, with NFL reporter Jeff Darlington even claiming “From what I understand, this deal is getting done…He will be back by Week One.”

Of course, if drafting Zeke today, your taking the real risk of your first-rounder missing some or even all of 2019.

But passing on Zeke, perhaps at a discount, is equally risky, especially with the star runner in the best shape of his NFL career. Zeke is reportedly in the “low 220s” after working out with HOFer Marshall Faulk in Cabo.

Considering he’s led the league in rushing in his only two full-seasons, an even-fitter Zeke is a terrifying idea to face — both in fantasy and reality.

Without the holdout, Zeke would be my unquestioned No.1 pick. Thus, on the back of this surging optimism around his contract, I am now willing to slide Zeke back into my Top-Four. I still can’t pass on the elite RB1 tier (Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley). Yet, with questions surrounding every runner after, Zeke would be my pick anywhere after this Big Three.

Author

  • Founder of Roto Street Journal. Lover of workhorse backs, target hog wideouts, and Game of Thrones. Aspiring to be the "Brady" and "Leo" of the fantasy universe.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Related Posts