Ezekiel Elliott, the star running back, will be lost to the Dallas Cowboys for the first six games of the season, barring a successful appeal of his suspension for domestic violence. So how do the Cowboys replace the N.F.L.’s leading rusher?

As a rookie last season, Elliott rushed for 1,631 yards. He ran for over 100 yards in seven games. He also led the league in rushes, with 322, and had 15 rushing touchdowns. Running behind the league’s best offensive line, he was given much of the credit, along with another rookie, quarterback Dak Prescott, for the Cowboys’ stunning improvement from 4-12 to 13-3.

Advanced statistics from SportRadar drive home Elliott’s immense value to the Cowboys:

He’s a First-Down Machine

Elliott crushed on first downs, setting the table on series after series. He averaged 5.5 yards a carry in those situations and was the only player in the league with 1,000 yards on first downs alone. And he got a first down himself on 28.3 percent of his carries, best among the leading rushers.