No position has caused more controversy for the Dallas Cowboys this season than running back. That remained the case before kickoff against the San Francisco 49ers, when starter Rico Dowdle was ruled out due to an apparent illness that struck him upon arriving at Levi’s Stadium.

Dowdle’s surprising absence thrust Ezekiel Elliott into a starting role. In a timeshare with newly active Dalvin Cook, Elliott made his first start since the season opener on Sunday night.

While Cowboys fans tempered expectations for the NFL’s worst offense, they have had reasonable success on the ground against the normally stingy 49ers defense.

Elliott played a big role in that, punctuating the offense’s best run in weeks with a touchdown to put Dallas ahead 7-3 in the second quarter.

That’s vintage Zeke.

Elliott, you’ll recall, expressed frustration with his role within the offense after the Cowboys defeated the Steelers in Week 5. Elliott was apparently “baffled” by his lack of opportunities in the red zone, according to team reporter Clarence Hill Jr. from DLLS Sports.

Elliott’s complaint came, for lack of a better term, after Rico Dowdle fumbled while trying to enter the end zone against Pittsburgh with seconds left in regulation. If Dak Prescott hadn’t dived on the football, the Cowboys would have lost the game.

Although Elliott’s words seemed selfish, they turned out to contain some truth. The two-time rushing champion has long been one of the best goalline running backs in the NFL. He has an untouchable nose for the end zone and that was evident during his touchdown in the second quarter.

It’s no secret that Dowdle is the best RB on the roster. Elliott has taken a far backseat to the former undrafted free agent, but he has proven multiple times this season that he can still be effective in a timeshare. It just so happens that he exceeds expectations against the 49ers in a starring role.

There’s still a lot of play left, but Elliott was a catalyst on Dallas’ TD drive and that’s the difference in the game right now. He has six carries for 49 yards (and counting). It’s already the most yards he’s had in a game this season and his 4.8 yards per carry is by far his best performance.

Maybe Elliott was on to something about wanting a bigger role.

More Cowboys news and analysis