2021 Dallas Cowboys report card: Ezekiel Elliott

Ezekiel Elliott 2020 Grade: B-

The Cowboys star running back technically had his worst season as a pro in 2020. However, looking at his stats, Elliott’s numbers would tell a different story. He finished the year with 979 yards rushing on 244 carries and scored six rushing touchdowns. Elliott also caught 52 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns.

Those numbers would be suitable for a running back on his rookie contract, but not the expectations for a player making an average salary of $15 million. The hidden stat that plagued Elliott in 2020 was his six fumbles.

Elliott would turn over the ball in critical situations that cost the Cowboys early that season. The “watermelon kick” game against the Atlanta Falcons was probably his worst outing. There were also whispers of Elliott being out of shape, which led to his lower production. However, for all the flaws in 2020, he did step up as a leader when quarterback Dak Prescott went down. Elliott helped guide former backup Andy Dalton and kept the Cowboys in playoff contention until the end.

The yardage and production alone would give him an A-, but because of his fumbles and lack of burst, we are lowering his grade to a B- for 2020.