There are few players if any on the Cowboys that have a bigger microscope on them than running back Ezekiel Elliott. That's due to not only being on the Cowboys but the level of production he put forth earlier in his career.

Elliott may not be the same player he once was but he can still be effective. However, when ESPN dropped their list of the top 10 running backs heading into the 2022 season, shockingly, Elliott didn't make it.

Jeremy Fowler on Elliott's ranking:

"Elliott's fall outside the top 10 is still a bit surprising considering he just produced his third career 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown season. But his rushing yards per game have dipped in each of his six NFL seasons, from 108.7 in 2016 to 58.9 last year. "He's still a good player, but that burst he once had just doesn't seem to be there," an NFC exec said."

Let's hold the phone here. Not because of Fowler's analysis but because of who landed ahead of Elliott in this ranking.

We all remember when Christian McCaffrey of the Carolina Panthers produced 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in 2019. As great as that was, McCaffrey only ran for 442 yards last season. His 667 yards over the previous two seasons are more than 300 yards less than what Elliott did for the Cowboys in 2021, so him being ranked ahead of the two-time rushing champ at No. 7 doesn't make a lot of sense.

Najee Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers was ranked eighth on the list. Granted he was productive with 1,200 yards as a rookie last year but he only gained 198 more yards than Elliott on 70 more carries, and he also played an extra game. Harris is going to be a good player but one year of production shouldn't have him above Elliott.

Javonte Williams of the Denver Broncos, another rookie, came in at No. 10 on the list. He was very solid with 903 yards and four touchdowns but both totals were less than what Elliott did. So, again, Elliott should have been ranked higher than Williams.

Elliott spent the offseason last year working on his quickness and elusiveness with running back Guru Josh Hicks. The Cowboys were loving the results over the first five games as Elliott had two 100-yard outings (three games of at least 95 yards) and was ranked third in the NFL in rushing.

Unfortunately, Elliott suffered a torn PCL during the Cowboys' Week 4 contest against the Carolina Panthers. Elliott still finished seventh in rushing yards (1,002) and sixth in rushing touchdowns (10) so based on that alone Elliott is still a top 10 running back. Mind you, he did this all while playing essentially on one leg for three months and sharing carries with Tony Pollard.

At this point in Elliott's career, he's not going to be the guy to get 25-30 carries every week, it's just not smart with his recent injury history and the fact he has over 1,600 carries on his legs. However, as last season indicated before his injury, Elliott still has tread left on the tires, so to speak.

It's on offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to figure out a way to involve Pollard more with some two-back sets or get him the ball in space. This will limit the wear and tear on Elliott and keep him fresh in the fourth quarter when the Cowboys can use their running game to close out victories.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and again, Elliott isn't the same player as a few seasons ago. However, there aren't 10 players better at the running back position than he is.

Feature image via Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports