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Do Cowboys still have an elite backfield? ESPN rankings casts doubt

This has been the era of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott for the Dallas Cowboys, but preseason rankings have called into question their place in the league.

DALLAS — In 2021, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott returned to the field coming off a major ankle injury and led the team to the postseason, making it a comeback year for the team. 

After a 6-10 campaign in Mike McCarthy’s first season, the Cowboys reeled off a 12-win season to grab the NFC East crown. 

One of the big reasons for the success of the Cowboys last season was because of their prowess on offense. Kellen Moore’s group led the NFL in both total yards and points per game. The first half of the schedule was where the offense did the most of their damage to coast to the league’s top unit, even though a dip in production came after the team’s bye week.

Prescott was one of the biggest reasons for the offense’s resurgence. A year after missing one of the top signal callers in the league, Prescott returned with a vengeance. 

Yet, in the annual list of rankings put out by ESPN, Prescott barely made it into the top 10 for quarterbacks in the NFL. The Dallas QB checked in at No. 10 on the list, a fall of three spots from the previous year.  

That’s an odd drop for a player who set a franchise record for touchdown passes in a season with 37, which was also good for fourth most in the league. Prescott’s touchdown passes were tied with league MVP Aaron Rodgers, who was ranked as the top QB on the list, so it’s difficult to understand Prescott’s slide. 

The note for Prescott is that he “had to prove he could take the team to the next level,” but two quarterbacks ranked higher didn’t lead their teams to the playoffs, and one didn’t play last season. Prescott has been nothing but a winner since he entered the league, compiling a record that is 21-games over .500 while displaying improved play every season, which makes some of the criticism of him seem questionable.

The positive news is that Prescott is still seen as a top performer at his position in the league, which hasn’t always been the consensus. The same can not be said for his backfield mate, running back Ezekiel Elliott.  

Elliott was not mentioned among the top 10 RBS in the league, but did garner an honorable mention of the next tier of backs. After missing a 1,000-yard season in 2020, Elliott returned to hit that mark in 2021 with 1,002 yards and 10 scores, despite playing on a partially torn PCL. 

The main criticism of Elliott is that he doesn’t have the same explosiveness that he used to, which is a fair assessment looking at his season in total. However, Elliott looked like he had plenty of juice in his legs for the first quarter of the campaign before the injury sapped his ability to break big runs. Nevertheless, Elliott still managed to reach almost 1,300 total yards and 12 scores.

Among those to rank above Elliott include Denver Broncos second-year runner Javonte Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie standout RB Najee Harris and Carolina Panthers all-purpose back Christian McCaffrey. But there are reasons to question Elliott’s place when Williams didn’t rush for 1,000 yards last season, Harris has just one season under his belt, and McCaffrey struggles to stay on the field, playing in just 10 games over the last two seasons.

At just 27 years old when the season begins, Elliott can still be a high-quality RB that is safely inside the top 10 in the league. Last year’s early season results are proof that he still has some juice in his legs when he’s healthy.

Not seeing Prescott and Elliott higher in these preseason rankings is disappointing considering how good the team’s offense was last year. However, it’s always important to note that these rankings don't add anything to the standings. 

Once the season starts, the rankings will quickly be forgotten as actual wins and losses shape the landscape. These lists are merely filler to talk about before the season arrives. Sports websites still need eyes on them during the slow days ahead of preseason, and nothing gets the hype going and the debates flowing for an NFL season like player rankings. 

There are more Top 10 rankings to come before training camp, so expect more outrage over where Cowboys players rank.

The season cannot get here soon enough.

Do you think Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott are still top ten players at their respective positions? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.

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