Ezekiel Elliott leads the NFL in carries per game at 22.1, played 399 total snaps this season, fourth-most among running backs, leads the NFL in rushing (891 yards) and is the only player averaging more than 100 yards per game on the ground (111.4).
Despite the heavy workload, Elliott is not fretting about hitting the proverbial rookie wall.
"I feel good," Elliott said, via the Dallas Morning News. "I've been taking good care of my body. I feel fresh and just trying to stay on this routine to make sure I stay fresh. I'm not really worried about a rookie wall."
Elliott's 891 rushing yards are the third-most by a rookie through eight career games, behind only Adrian Peterson (1,036) and Eric Dickerson (995). All others in the top five won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Zeke's 1,046 scrimmage yards in first eight career games ranks fifth in the Super Bowl era.
The rookie's 193 offensive touches this season ranks third through Week 9 and sets him on pace for 386 touches, which would rank seventh ever for a rookie -- most since LaDainian Tomlinson's 389 in 2001.
"The identity of the offense is just being physical out there and wearing guys down and pulling away in the third and fourth quarter," Elliott said. "We come out there and it's pretty obvious we want to run the ball. Our game plan has been the same every week and we come out and we try to run the ball and try to wear them down, so in the third and fourth quarter they don't want to be out there."
Zeke has been wearing opponents out all season. He's not concerned about wearing himself out. The question is whether coaches will start to fear the piling up of carries and start tapering Elliot's touches to prepare for a deep playoff run.
