FRISCO, Texas _ Dallas Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown has plenty of friends who play fantasy football. They all want his inside knowledge, especially now with starter Ezekiel Elliott set to begin serving a six-game suspension after his latest legal loss.
Brown tells them not to call.
"They're not getting no info," Brown said, laughing. "They call me, but they don't get nothing from me. I tell them, I make up stuff like, 'Oh, yeah, I can't talk about it. Oh, yeah, the league will fine me. They'll fire me.'
"I make up stuff, so they never call me."
There's no making up just how valuable Elliott has been for the Cowboys, particularly during this three-game winning streak.
This is the reigning rushing champion who is on pace for a second consecutive 1,500-yard-or-better season. He ranks second in the league with 783 rushing yards and is a home-run threat every time he touches the ball.
Now he's gone, at least for four games of his six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy as his next court hearing is set for Dec. 1, pending another unforeseen development.
If he serves the full six-game suspension, Elliott won't return until the Christmas Eve game against the Seattle Seahawks.
But Brown and the Cowboys are confident they have enough depth to fill the void. Veterans Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden have been 1,000-yard backs in the league, and Rod Smith has flashed promising signs early on in his career.
Asked if he's confident in his backups, Brown said: "Absolutely. And, if you ask Zeke, he'd tell you the same thing. These three guys are ready to rock-and-roll."
The Cowboys have known Elliott's status has been in question all season, but have done their best to maintain status quo as the legal process played itself out.
Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan downplayed any notion of altering the game plan in case Elliott wouldn't be available.
"No change to what we do, so we really haven't got any contingency if this were to happen, or this weren't to happen, that we would change anything," Linehan said.
The Cowboys players, coaching staff and front office all feel good about the depth behind Elliott. As Brown said, they'll be ready to roll Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Here's why:
