Cowboys unofficially confirm major depth chart change everyone saw coming

Not many NFL teams in the year 2024 would choose to sign Ezekiel Elliott over Derrick Henry, but the Dallas Cowboys are a rare breed. Fans can blame the two men who have final say in personnel decisions for that: owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones.

It only took one game for bypassing Henry to blow up in the Cowboys' face, but the two-time rushing champ dumped a pound of salt in the wound Sunday night when he ran roughshod over the previously-undefeated Bills.

Henry broke free for a 87-yard touchdown on the Ravens first play from scrimmage. That's more yards than what Elliott has produced all season (81). Henry finished with 199 rushing yards and two touchdowns and he now leads the league with 480 rushing yards and five scores.

To say Henry and Elliott are trending in opposite directions would be an understatement. While Henry is busy making history, Elliott is ... tumbling down the Cowboys' depth chart. Last Thursday's win over the Giants was the latest evidence that Elliott is far from the team's preferred back.

Ezekiel Elliott continues to tumble down Cowboys' RB depth chart

It is clear that Rico Dowdle is the lead running back. Even Hunter Luepke saw an increased role Thursday after he flashed in Week 3. Luepke hasn't logged more than two carries in a game, though, so the big story here is Dowdle overtaking Elliott atop the depth chart. He has left Zeke in the dust.

In Weeks 1 and 2, Dowdle earned running back rush shares of 32.0% and 33.3%, respectively. That skyrocketed to 61.5% and 61.1%, respectively, the last two games. If you thought that was telling, check this out.

Dowdle had a 48% backfield snap share split in Week 4 while Elliott checked in at 18%, per Scott Spratt of FTN Fantasy. Among RB2s, Elliott's split was the fourth-lowest of the week. Only 49ers rookie Isaac Guerendo (8%), the Vikings' Ty Chandler (12%) and the Steelers' Cordarrelle Patterson (13%) had a lower snap share split than Elliott.

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It was Elliott - not Dowdle - on the field for the Cowboys' final drive in Week 4, but the former only played two snaps before halftime. It's no surprise that Mike McCarthy trusts Zeke to close out games. His experience and ball security carry a lot of weight.

However, it speaks volumes that he's been reduced to a "closer" role after Jerry Jones said back in April that he still views the 29-year-old as a starter. It has taken less than a month for Jones to be proven wrong.

Henry, meanwhile, lives in Dallas during the offseason and was open to playing for the Cowboys, who had a pressing need at running back after losing Tony Pollard. And yet, Jones didn't even entertain it, choosing instead to cry poverty while reuniting with Elliott.

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