As the Dallas Cowboys prepare to kick off their 2024 season against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, all eyes will be on the Cowboys’ backfield and how head coach Mike McCarthy will line up his running back team in this matchup.

Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews announced before the game on 105.3 The Fan that Ezekiel Elliott, whom Dallas brought back in the offseason, will be given the starting lineup.

However, Andrews also emphasized that fifth-year running back Rico Dowdle will also be available for action, suggesting a possible split of playing time in the Cowboys’ backfield.

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Elliott, who spent the first seven seasons of his career in Dallas and won two rushing titles, spent the 2023 season in New England before returning to the Cowboys on a one-year contract.

Dowdle, on the other hand, was an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina in 2020 and has spent his entire career as a backup player.

The veteran running back made his first major appearance behind starter Tony Pollard last season. He rushed for 361 yards on 89 carries and scored two touchdowns, and caught 17 passes for 144 yards and scored two touchdowns through the air.

“He’s a complete running back who plays all three downs,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said of Dowdle last month.

“I think his pass defense has become one of his greatest strengths from his rookie year to now.”

As the regular season progresses, the Cowboys’ backfield strategy will be an important aspect.

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