Make specific note that Machota did not comment on who would lead the Cowboys backfield in overall fantasy output this season, instead limiting his prediction to Dowdle as the team’s rushing yardage leader. On paper, his prediction makes sense: Dowdle’s 4.1 yards per carry in 2023 doesn’t jump off the stat page by any standard, but he ranks first among running backs on the Cowboys’ roster heading into 2024 (Ezekiel Elliott averaged a paltry 3.5 YPC in New England last year). After neglecting to add a running back during the draft and bringing in only veteran Royce Freeman to compete with Zeke and Dowdle, it’s the expectation that Dallas will not only be a pass first team, but also be forced to run the ball through a committee. Whether or not Dowdle leads the Dallas backfield in rush attempts also remains in the air, but it seems as though Dallas has plans to spell the aged Elliott early and often throughout the 2024 season. In his most recent campaign with the Cowboys, Zeke averaged just 3.8 yards per carry (🤢) but tacked on 12 touchdowns on the ground. Given the lack of competition around him and an offense that is expected to rank among the league’s best in production (albeit almost exclusively through the passing game), we could see similar numbers for Zeke this season even if Dowdle does end up pacing the team in rushing yards and per carry efficiency.