The Fantasy Football community was on pins and needles Friday morning, awaiting the NFL to announce the discipline for Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott for violating the league's Personal Conduct Policy.
Fantasy owners and Cowboys fans will have to wait a few months to see reigning Rookie of the Year back on the field as the NFL dolled out a six-game suspension for Elliott.
Elliott's suspension stems from a domestic violence incident with his ex-girlfriend which occurred over a year ago in Columbus, Ohio.
Elliott has three days to appeal the suspension, but the chance of him successfully winning an appeal would appear to be a longshot as the NFL has already threatened him with "potential banishment" for additional violations, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Before news of the suspension, the CSN Fantasy crew were all in agreement that Elliott should be the No. 3 overall pick behind Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson and Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell.
Now, Elliott's draft stock is free falling.
NFL
Fantasy owners have to take something into consideration: Elliott will now miss more than half of the regular fantasy football season.
If you own or still plan on drafting the Cowboys running back, your bench is going to have be extremely strong if you want to stay afloat with Elliott sidelined.
While Elliott will likely post his usual monster numbers once he returns, I can't advocate drafting him anywhere within the first two rounds. If you do, you'd be valuing him ahead of running backs like like DeMarco Murray, Jay Ajayi, Jordan Howard and Melvin Gordon.
The area to take a chance on Elliott would be somewhere in the late third/early fourth round as the running backs currently being drafted in this range include Marshawn Lynch, Isaiah Crowell, Carlos Hyde and Ty Montgomery — all players Elliott should outperform if he stays on the field for the final 10 games of 2017.
However, you have to be aware that one more false step off the field could really put Elliott's career in jeopardy.
If you're drafting Elliott, proceed with caution.