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Factoid

Fumbling Zeke

Elliott has fumbled 5 times in six games

Ezekiel Elliott has fumbled 5 times, losing 4 of them. He’s lost only one fewer fumble in his first six games than he lost in the first four years of his career. That’s weird.

Elliott fumbled 3 times last year, losing two of them. In each of his first three seasons, he lost just 1 fumble (12 fumbles in those three seasons, but he lost only 3 of them).

But the fumbles are coming now. He fumbled 3 times in the first five games, and then in prime time on Monday night, he fumbled twice, playing a huge role in that game getting away from Dallas. Both set up touchdowns for the Cardinals, allowing them to pull away.

I don’t expect this will be a problem for Elliott going forward. He hasn’t had problems with fumbles in the past, and no doubt he’ll be more careful going forward about securing the ball. (Just hope he’s not too careful, with the distraction potentially contributing to the problem.)

I did run the numbers on this. Only five times since 2016 has a running back lost 2 fumbles in a game. It didn’t happen at all in the 2016 or 2018 seasons. It happened with Nick Chubb and Melvin Gordon last year.

RUNNING BACKS LOSING 2 FUMBLES (last 10 years)
YearPlayerOppResultFumFL
2010Marshawn Lynch, Sea.at N.O.L 19-3422
2010Tim Hightower, Ariz.at St.L.W 17-1322
2010Frank Gore, S.F.Phil.L 24-2722
2011Isaac Redman, Pitt.at Clev.W 13-922
2011Matt Forte, Chi.at Phil.W 30-2422
2011LeGarrette Blount, T.B.at Ten.L 17-2322
2011Cedric Benson, Cin.Ariz.W 23-1622
2012Bryce Brown, Phil.Car.L 22-3022
2012Chris Johnson, Ten.Chi.L 20-5122
2012Jamaal Charles, K.C.S.D.L 20-3722
2012Toby Gerhart, Min.S.F.W 24-1322
2013Alfred Morris, Was.at Atl.L 26-2722
2013David Wilson, NYGat Dall.L 31-3622
2013Joique Bell, Det.at Phil.L 20-3422
2014Bobby Rainey, T.B.at Atl.L 14-5622
2015Chris Johnson, Ariz.at Clev.W 34-2022
2015Darren McFadden, Dall.at Was.W 19-1622
2015Doug Martin, T.B.Chi.L 21-2622
2015Jamaal Charles, K.C.Den.L 24-3122
2015Jeremy Hill, Cin.S.D.W 24-1922
2017Jalen Richard, Oak.at Phil.L 10-1922
2017Jonathan Stewart, Car.Atl.W 20-1722
2017Mark Ingram, N.O.Chi.W 20-1222
2019Nick Chubb, Clev.at N.E.L 13-2722
2019Melvin Gordon, LACMin.L 10-3922
2020Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.Ariz.L 10-3822

Statistics compiled using search tools atPro-Football-Reference.com

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index