Which rookie RB has the best shot of replicating Elliott's success?

After Ezekiel Elliott shocked the rookie running back position out of a slumber with a dominant first season in the NFL, 2017 is set to have a host of young runners who could have a similar impact to the Dallas Cowboys star.

But who, out of Joe Mixon, Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, and Leonard Fournette, is best set up to have a Rookie-of-the-Year type season?

For a reminder, here is Elliott's absurd rookie stat line: 1,631 rushing yards, 15 TDs, 32 catches, 363 receiving yards, one receiving TD.

Joe Mixon, Bengals

Mixon is coming into a backfield that already boasts Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill, but that might not be too big of an issue for the former Oklahoma standout.

Hill has averaged 3.8 and 3.6 yards per carry over the past two seasons, respectively, and though he remains a good goal-line back, he should be easy to supplant.

Meanwhile, Bernard also had a down year in 2016 before tearing his ACL. He should be healthy for the start of the season, but his skill set was never that of a featured back, and he should slide into a change-of-pace role alongside the rookie.

Mixon might have the most well-rounded game of any back in this class. Assuming he has no more off-field issues, he should be Cincinnati's Day 1 starter, and won't be as limited in one area as McCaffrey (rushing) and Fournette (receiving).

Mixon's main concern is playing behind what remains of the Bengals' once-dominant offensive line. If Cincinnati had managed to keep one of Kevin Zeitler or Andrew Whitworth, Mixon would be in a much better situation. Instead, Mixon's impact could be severely limited by what is, at best, a work in progress.

Center Russell Bodine is the only projected starter that ranked as an average run blocker last season, according to Pro Football Focus. And while Mixon has the athleticism to make plays out of nothing, his situation is a far cry from Elliott's, who works with maybe the league's best offensive line.

2017 stats prediction: 1,100 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs, 35 catches, 375 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs

Christian McCaffrey, Panthers

Though it's only rookie minicamp, McCaffrey is already showing off the kind of agility and speed that will make opposing defenses stay awake at night thinking about.

McCaffrey, however, is unlikely to be used as a featured back, at least not from Day 1. Jonathan Stewart will likely split the early down work with the rookie, who should dominate on third down and obvious passing situations, while also occasionally being split out wide while Stewart is in the backfield.

Because of this, McCaffrey will struggle to put up monster rushing numbers, though his contributions as a receiver and as a returner on special teams might make up for it.

What also has to be taken into consideration for McCaffrey is, of course, the presence of superstar quarterback Cam Newton. This offense will always revolve around the dynamic pivot, and while the Panthers have said they want to reduce his contributions as a runner, he'll still likely see a significant amount of work.

Of the 16 rushing touchdowns scored by Carolina last season, Newton and Stewart combined for 14 of them. This, plus McCaffrey's lack of physicality, could limit the rookie's touchdown potential.

2017 stats prediction: 650 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs, 60 catches, 700 receiving yards, 6 receiving TDs

Dalvin Cook, Vikings

Despite the Minnesota Vikings handing Latavius Murray a three-year, $15-million contract in free agency, head coach Mike Zimmer has said there will be an open competition at the running back position, highlighted by Murray, Cook, and Jerick McKinnon.

McKinnon's best fit has always been a third-down role, so Murray and Cook will likely fight it out for early down work. This competition, unless Cook blows Murray out of the water during training camp, will likely limit the rookie's impact over at least the first four or five weeks of the season, as he slowly takes more and more snaps from the uninspiring Murray.

While not on McCaffrey's level, Cook put up solid receiving numbers in his last season at Florida State, though McKinnon should eat into his work in this area.

The main issue for Cook is the Vikings' offensive line, which was one of the worst in the league in 2016 and was the main reason Minnesota averaged an abysmal 75.3 rushing yards per game. Free-agent additions Mike Remmers and Riley Reiff will likely do little to change this, as they're both unimpressive run blockers, according to Pro Football Focus.

On film, Cook looked like a monster. But at the combine, he put up terrible numbers, causing many to question whether his athleticism was a mirage. Yes, Elliott played with a great offensive line, but he's also a top-notch athlete at the position. Cook, on the other hand, could struggle to compensate for poor run blocking at the NFL level.

2017 stats prediction: 900 yards rushing, 8 rushing TDs, 30 catches, 250 yards receiving, 2 receiving TDs

Leonard Fournette, Jaguars

Of all the top rookie running backs, Fournette faces the least competition for snaps. T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory will likely carve out roles, but the former LSU star should be a workhorse for the Jaguars, just as Elliott was for the Cowboys.

Unlike Elliott, however, Fournette doesn't have a reliable quarterback who will limit his turnovers and keep games close. While the Jaguars should look to become a run-first team with Fournette in order to rebuild Blake Bortles' confidence, and that should in turn lead to a ton of opportunities for the young runner, game situations could quickly alter that philosophy.

The Jaguars should be better in 2017, but everyone thought the same thing before the 2016 campaign. If Jacksonville isn't competitive and is frequently playing from behind, Fournette will struggle to approach Elliott's numbers.

The Jaguars' offensive line also isn't great, but it's arguably the best of the four teams, especially if new left tackle Branden Albert returns to his pre-2016 form.

Fournette proved at the combine he has the athleticism to excel even without great blocking, and while his lack of skills as a receiver and the presence of Bortles could diminish his overall impact, his standing as the Day 1 starter could be invaluable in this competition.

2017 stats prediction: 1,250 rushing yards, 11 rushing TDs, 20 catches, 175 yards, 0 receiving TDs

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)