NFL MVP Race 2018: Top 10 candidates at midseason

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HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 07: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys is pushed out of bounds by Benardrick McKinney #55 of the Houston Texans in the first quarter at NRG Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

8. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Dak Prescott gets a lot of attention, and that comes with the territory of being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. That said, the offense is all about one man — Ezekiel Elliott.

The Cowboys success — and also the success of Prescott — depends a lot on the success of Elliott. That’s very rare in today’s pass-happy NFL. Sure, some semblance balance is needed even in today’s game, but with the Cowboys it even closer to 50/50 than most teams.

The Cowboys have traded losses and wins — in that order — in 2018, which is why they sit at 3-4. In the losses, Elliot averages around 4.0 yards per touch (22 touches for 86 yards), but in the wins Elliott averages 148 total yards on 25 touches. A more productive Zeke leads to more wins for the men with the stars on their helmets.

In the end, this has led to a 3-4 record, and that is a detriment to his MVP hopes, due to the nature of the award in today’s climate. However, when you look at most valuable player, it seems like Elliott’s value is very defined, and he’s among the most valuable to his team’s victories.

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