Drafting Ezekiel Elliott has become like getting sucked into a fantasy soap opera. Every week, there is a big twist. Will Zeke get to play? Will his ban be reinstated? How are Cowboys dealing with the distraction? You’ll find out this week on “As the Zeke Turns” (because comparing this melodrama to the show “Dallas” is just a little too on-the-nose).

Everyone knew drafting Elliott was a gamble. You risked possibly losing him for six games while dreaming a subprime draft slot would reward handsomely if the ban could have been avoided or delayed until next season.

Then came this week’s bombshell, the Zeke’s owner’s “Who shot J.R.?” moment: An injunction to delay the suspension until the actual appeal hearing was denied, meaning the Elliott ban will begin immediately. The appeal hearing is set for Dec. 1, meaning Zeke is out until a ruling comes from that hearing. So, as the plot thickens, you need to plan for a full six-game absence.

Assuming a the ban runs its full course, he will be eligible to return in Week 16, championship week in most fantasy leagues. And that week he faces a solid Seattle defense. If your league plays Week 17 (it shouldn’t), he gets the stingy Eagles run D.

So you miss Elliott for the stretch run, and you won’t have him for the first week or two of playoffs. And, because of the constant ambiguity surrounding the situation during the height of bye-week hell, you might not have been able to keep Alfred Morris or Darren McFadden or Rod Smith on your roster as backup plans. So it’s pretty much the worst possible scenario.

Where do you turn? If you have Morris, we feel reasonable confidence plugging him in the lineup. We won’t start him ahead of provable commodities, like Carlos Hyde, Alvin Kamara or even Doug Martin, but we put him in ahead of the C.J. Anderson/Aaron Jones variety.

Can you survive with McFadden or Smith? This is more perplexing. We expect Morris to get first crack at the “primary” job, which we think will be mainly non-passing personnel sets, and we envision some type of split between McFadden and Smith for the passing-down role. Since we prefer younger backs to older backs, we hedge toward Smith here, but we would like other options.

One of those is Orleans Darkwa, especially this week. And this is a roster situation where, though we’re not high on the Dolphins’ backs, we have more faith in Kenyan Drake than the secondary Dallas options. It won’t help this week, but in standard leagues we would opt for the comfort of volume Thomas Rawls is set to receive, but don’t expect efficiency. In PPR leagues, we instead would go with J.D. McKissic.

We lean toward these options because of the uncertainty between DMC and Smith. But this soap opera has made surprise turns before. Tune in this week to see if it has another in store.

Josh McCown QB, Jets, at Buccaneers (FanDuel $7,400/DraftKings $6,100)

The Tampa Bay defense allows the 26th most points to opposing fantasy QBs. In eight games, they have given up 18.7 points or more five times.

Orleans Darkwa RB, Giants, at 49ers (FD $5,300/DK $4,500)

San Fran is the worst fantasy defense vs. the run, and it isn’t close. They give up in excess of three more points a week than the next worst team (Rams).

Devontae Booker RB, Broncos, vs. Patriots (FD $5,300/DK $3,500)

Anticipating the Broncos trying to keep up or catch up, we expect more pass plays, hence more Booker.

Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys, at Falcons (FD $5,700/DK $4,400)

With Dez Bryant iffy, Ezekiel Elliott out, and a fleet of ho-hum WRs, expect Witten to get a big bump in targets.

Kirk Cousins QB, Redskins, vs. Vikings (FD $7,500/DK $5,900)

Despite heroics in Seattle last week, has just one TD pass and three turnovers in past two games. Vikes D hasn’t given up more than 209 yards passing or more than one pass TD since Week 3.

Aaron Jones RB, Packers, at Bears (FD $6,900/DK $6,400)

Talk of a split doesn’t bode well. Evidence the team is willing to abandon Jones based on game situation is not good either.

Keenan Allen WR, Chargers, at Jaguars (FD $7,300/DK $5,400)

The Jacksonville pass defense is allowing 10 fewer fantasy points per game to opposing WRs than the league average.

Charles Clay TE, Bills, vs. Saints (FD $5,400/DK $4,200)

We know TE is limited position, but in first game back from a Week 5 knee injury, and a stingy Saints defense opposite, we suggest waiting a week to use him.

Post fantasy Madman Drew Loftis and Roto Rage Jarad Wilk debate whom you should start this week:

Robert Woods vs. Marvin Jones Jr.

Drew: Woods — Feels a little like chasing points, following Woods’ two-TD outing last week, but can’t ignore juicy matchup against a reeling Texans team that is getting shredded by opposing air attacks, and the Rams are clicking right now.

Jarad: Jones — Well, you can pray for lightning to strike twice with Woods … or you can go with a sure-thing like Jones. He has been targeted 44 times over the past four weeks (25 receptions, 385 yards and three TDs) and has a QB who has averaged 365 yards over his past three games. Jones should get double-digit targets again and has a solid shot at reaching the end zone against a Browns secondary allowing the third most receiving TDs.

Last week: Drew 3.1 (Aaron Jones — 5-12 rushing, 2-(-1) receiving), Jarad 0.7 (Doug Martin — 8-7 rushing)

Season: Drew leads series, 5-4

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