Deuce Vaughn Fantasy Overview

Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle edged Ezekiel Elliot for the backfield lead in Sunday's 44-19 loss to the Saints. Dowdle carried seven times to Elliott's six and beat Elliott 5-3 in targets. He tallied 30 yards rushing (4.3 per carry) and 29 receiving (7.3 per catch). Elliott went 6-16 rushing and 2-16 receiving. Second-year RB Deuce Vaughn also mixed in for 4-11 rushing and a 6-yard catch. He bumped from just two snaps in the opener to 10 against New Orleans.

The Cowboys and RB Ezekiel Elliott have agreed to a contract, NFL Network reports. It's a reunion after Elliott spent his first seven seasons in Dallas. The 28-year-old mustered just 3.8 yards per carry in his last season with the Cowboys and then averaged 3.5 yards per carry for the Patriots last year. Elliott ranked 29th among 42 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus' 2022 rushing grades and 41st among 49 last year. There's very little gas left in this tank, although Elliott still proved capable of handling big workloads down the stretch last season. He averaged 14.8 carries and 6.5 targets over the final six weeks. The Cowboys are desperate for RB help after losing Tony Pollard in free agency and failing to land a RB in the draft. Elliott just might be the favorite to lead the backfield in touches ahead of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Royce Freeman. He's still not an exciting fantasy pick. We'll see where his ADP settles.

The Cowboys signed RB Royce Freeman to a one-year deal. It's the 28-year-old's fourth different team in the last three years. Freeman was decent for the Rams last year, rushing 77 times for 319 yards (4.1 YPC) and two TDs. He ranked 21st in Pro Football Focus rushing grade, 29th in yards after contact per attempt, and 16th in PFF Elusive Rating among 69 RBs with 50+ carries. Freeman joins Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Malik Davis in a Cowboys backfield that still looks like a prime spot for a Day 2 rookie. We'll see exactly what the draft brings, but Freeman is not a good bet for 2024 fantasy value.

Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle (ankle) is out for Saturday night's game vs. the Lions. Deuce Vaughn figures to be active as Dallas' No. 2 RB, but Dowdle's absence could mean a few extra touches for RB Tony Pollard.