Cowboys’ RB Ezekiel Elliot did not participate in practice today due to the swelling in his knee. He told reporters he hopes to be ready for Week 10 (adding if he does suit up, he’ll be wearing a brace), but is not confident he will practice this week.
Elliot suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and thigh bruise in Week 7 against Detroit and was sidelined for Week 8 as a result. Dallas didn’t have a game in Week 9, so the hope was that Elliot would be back at practice to start Week 10, but that wasn’t the case.
MCL sprains are difficult injuries to deal with, especially those that are Grade 2 because that indicates there is some tearing present. The MCL (medial collateral ligament) connects the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia) and sits on the inside of your knee. providing stability to the knee by preventing it from moving sideways. In particular, it helps protect against forces applied to the outside of the knee.
Generally, Grade 2 MCL sprains require 2-4 weeks to heal, and our algorithm puts Elliot on the high end of that range. His Optimal Recovery Time is still 13 days away, and his injury metrics aren’t great as of now.
His Injury Risk is 35%, which is High, and his Health Performance Factor is 41%, which is considered Below Average but borders on Poor. Overall, he isn’t in line to start in Week 10. His backup, Tony Pollard, exploded for 147 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on just 15 touches in Week 8, so Dallas is in a good position even if Elliot is forced to sit out.
If Elliot does suit up, expect a snap count, or limited reps at least. Dallas shouldn’t need all their weapons against a Green Bay team that has dropped five games in a row.
