Cowboys RB depth chart: Why Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle platoon continues to struggle | Sporting News Canada

The Cowboys’ struggles in the run game have played a role in the team’s 1-2 start to the 2024 season.

Dallas has one of the worst running offenses in the NFL through three weeks. Its 221 total rushing yards are the third-lowest in the league, only beating out the Bears (218) and Raiders (153).

The Cowboys let Tony Pollard walk in free agency and didn’t shell out the money or use a draft pick to find a notable replacement. Instead, they brought back a familiar face in Ezekiel Elliott and hoped one of Rico Dowdle or Deuce Vaughn could step into the change-of-pace role.

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That plan has not paid off thus far, and Dallas needs to become a more well-rounded offense to take some pressure off of Dak Prescott in the passing game.

You can find the Cowboys’ running back depth chart below.

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Cowboys RB depth chart

Ezekiel Elliott

Elliott proved he still had something left in the tank with the Patriots last season. He had 184 carries for 642 rushing yards and three touchdowns over 15 games and five starts. He also added 51 receptions for 313 receiving yards — his most since 2020 with the Cowboys.

Elliott earned himself a one-year, $2 million contract with Dallas this offseason but has struggled in an RB1 role. The 29-year-old veteran is only averaging 20.7 yards, taking 19 carries for 62 yards and one touchdown through three games.

The Cowboys will need Elliott to turn back the clock as the season continues.

Rico Dowdle

Dowdle has taken on the RB2 role, making an impact in both the run and pass game. He only has 23 carries for 88 rushing yards but has upped his total every game so far. He’s also up to eight receptions for 59 receiving yards.

If Elliott continues to falter in the RB1 role, Dowdle would be the next man up to take on a bigger workload.

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Hunter Luepke

Luepke joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State in 2023. He has been only used as a receiving back so far this season, tallying four receptions for 59 yards with zero carries.

He is a distant RB3 option in Dallas’ backfield behind Elliott and Dowdle.

Deuce Vaughn

Vaughn has fallen out of the running back rotation in Dallas early on in the season. He has seven carries for 20 rushing yards and two receptions for 14 receiving yards.

With Elliott and Dowdle handling rushing downs and Dowdle and Luepke doing most of the work in the passing game, Vaughn has been the odd man out.