The Fantasy Football Fallout of Dalvin Cook to the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys finally made an addition to their running back room on Wednesday, signing the four-time Pro Bowl tailback Dalvin Cook. That's a big name that will likely draw some interest, but how much does Cook really change the fantasy football outlook of this position group after he posted a career-low 214 rushing yards in 2023?

Let's check out Cook's potential role on America'a Team followed by a look at Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle's fantasy outlooks.

Dalvin Cook's Fantasy Outlook in Dallas

It's very difficult to disregard Cook's poor 2023 season.

A decline seemed imminent when Cook ranked 39th or worse in yards created per touch in 2021 and 2022, per PlayerProfiler. After carrying a RB26 average draft position (ADP) in half-point per reception (PPR) leagues in 2023, per FantasyPros, Cook was pretty much a non-factor with only 214 rushing yards on the season while finishing as RB75 in fantasy football.

The advanced stats made fantasy managers cringe, posting -1.21 rushing yards over expectation per carry (RYOE/C), per NFL's Next Gen Stats. Plus, the vet tailback was 133rd in EPA and posted only 2.84 yards created per touch -- which didn't even qualify for a ranking at PlayerProfiler.

Cook was cut by the New York Jets prior to the postseason and was picked up by the Baltimore Ravens. He appeared in one playoff contest, posting a deflating -8.1 RYOE.

At 29 years old, Cook's best is probably far behind him. He could barely even stay on the field a season ago, ranking 74th in snap share and 63rd in opportunity share among running backs. Cook didn't score a touchdown last season, either, and failed to receive one rushing attempt within the five-yard line.

Yes, the name draws interest, but don't expect Cook to get back to being one of the best fantasy backs around. Dallas likely added more depth for its by committee approach. Cook's fantasy value will probably be very minimal.

Fantasy Impact to Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle

While Cook is past his prime, it's still another mouth to feed. He was signed after training camp, meaning he should be safely on the roster for the regular season. The Cowboys probably have plans to use Cook.

Will this hurt Elliott and Dowdle's fantasy value more? I believe it's the former.

Zeke posted better efficiency stats than Cook last season, such as -0.38 RYOE/C. It's not great but still miles better than Cook's -1.21. At least Elliott had a role in 2023, as well. He still took 57.1% of the New England Patriots' carries within the five-yard line.

So, how would Zeke's role in Dallas be in trouble? There's been speculation on social media throughout training camp that Royce Freeman has been better than Elliott. Freeman has surpassed 500 rushing yards once in 2018 over his six-season career. This is not good company, especially if Zeke is being advertised as the worse option.

There simply have been few positive reviews surrounding Elliott throughout camp. It's been the opposite for Dowdle, who was tabbed as the favorite to lead the team in rushing by Jon Machota of The Athletic.

The efficiency checks out with Dowdle finishing ninth in yards created per touch and posted -0.05 RYOE/C in 2023. His 3.92 yards created per touch was far above Cook's 2.84 and Elliott's 3.21.

The role of Zeke looks the most in danger following the signing of Cook. Both backs are past their primes, while Dowdle comes off an efficient season and was the Cowboys' best running back in training camp. Dowdle's fantasy football value with a RB44 ADP is still excellent value; he also made our most recent sleeper running backs piece for the 2024 season.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.