Dallas Cowboys: Realistic Expectation of Ezekiel Elliott
1,000 Yard Rookies
13 rookie running backs have broken the 1,000-yard mark in the last 10 seasons.
- Todd Gurley – Rams
- Jeremy Hill – Bengals
- Eddie Lacy – Packers
- Alfred Morris – Redskins
- Doug Martin – Bucs
- LeGarrette Blount – Bucs
- Steve Slaton – Texans
- Matt Forte – Bears
- Chris Johnson – Titans
- Adrian Peterson – Vikings
- Marshawn Lynch – Seahawks
- Joseph Addai – Colts
- Cadillac Williams – Bucs
Seven were first round picks (Gurley, Martin, Johnson, Peterson, Lynch, Addai, Williams). Of the seven, only Cadillac Williams failed to repeat/better his rookie numbers (confidently assuming Todd Gurley will do so).
Of course being a thousand-yard rookie isn’t the blueprint to success. Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Gale Sayers and Marcus Allen are all Hall of Fame backs who didn’t hit that mark their rookie year. If Elliott has a similar career then his rookie stats will also become irrelevant.
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