1. Ezekiel Elliott will eclipse 25 carries
Pollard was better than Elliott last week, but that doesn’t mean Dallas’ highest-paid running back was bad. Elliott’s 16 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown were vital to the Cowboys’ narrow victory.
This week McCarthy and his coaching staff are going to try to really get Elliott going by feeding him early and often. They will work to mash Philadelphia’s defense with interior runs. Elliott may not rip off a big one against the Eagles, but he’s going to see a lot of 5-7 yard gains on pretty standard runs through the middle.
The prediction here is that he gets at least 25 carries which will power him to a 100+ yard night on the ground. He’s overpaid compared to his production level, but he’s still an above-average starting running back who can grind out yards behind the Cowboys’ talented offensive line.
Elliott is going to be a vital cog of Dallas’ offense all season long. The more body blows he can deliver to opponents the easier it’s going to be for Dak Prescott and the team’s talented receiving corps to hit big plays over the top. He’s got a chance to grind Philadelphia’s defense into dust on Monday night.