Ezekiel Elliott in line for big workload upon return from suspension

As he makes his return from a six-game suspension, expect to see a heavy dose of Ezekiel Elliott on Sunday.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel EIliott has completed his six-game suspension, and he will suit up on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks as Dallas clings to playoff contention. Entering Week 16, Elliott is still 16th in the league in rushing (783 yards) and tied for 13th in the league in carries (191).

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett started this week by expressing uncertainty over how much Elliott would be used in his first game back. That has been tempered a bit by a quote from Garrett saying Elliott “looks good”, and with fresh legs at this point in the season all signs point to Elliott stepping back into a big workload.

On Thursday, Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan confirmed as much via ESPN’s Todd Archer.

"I think we’re going to have significant touches, “He looks like he’s in great shape. Practicing great. He just looks great. So he’s one of those guys that trains and prepares for the games. I think he’s ready to roll."

Elliott averaged 26.3 touches per game (23.9 carries per game) in the first eight games this season, and he led the NFL in carries as a rookie last year (322; 21.5 per game in 15 games). So big workloads are nothing new to him. Rams running back Todd Gurley shredded the Seahawks defense for 180 total yards and four total touchdowns last week, so Elliott has to be looking forward to a great matchup.

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Elliott is sure to have a little rust after a fairly significant layoff, but the Cowboys seem ready to make him the focal point of their offense right away again without a second thought. Fantasy owners that survived his absence, and have something to play for in Week 16, can confidently plug Elliott back into lineups as a RB1.