Unless we get a significant change in
philosophy, the Cowboys can only support one fantasy wideout.
QB Dak Prescott
(2018 QB Rank - No.18, 21.8 FPts/G)
Prescott has been the model of consistency in his three seasons
with the Cowboys, with an average of 22 passing touchdowns and
3,500 passing yards to go along with six rushing touchdowns. You
can bank on around six rushing touchdowns based on the fact that
he posted that number in each of the last three campaigns.
His 21.8 fantasy points per game tied with Tom Brady in 2018,
while just a tenth of a point behind Russell Wilson, a player
who is slated to be drafted well ahead of Prescott this summer.
Prescott’s consistent rushing numbers, especially the touchdown
production, makes him a valuable fantasy asset and makes up for
the fact that he has yet to throw for more than 23 TDs in a year.
A full offseason working with Amari Cooper and a refreshing new
offensive play caller in Kellen Moore could be the formula Dak
needs to have a breakout passing TD season.
Despite these changes, the Cowboys are a run-first team with
the goal of using their high-priced offensive line to maul the
opposition and create holes for Ezekiel Elliott. For this reason,
Dak will likely be drafted as a QB2 in most formats.
The 2018 season turned out to be a combination of positive and
negative trends for Ezekiel Elliott, as the former fourth overall
pick in the 2016 NFL draft finished outside the top 5 in fantasy
running backs for the first time in his career.
Zeke won the rushing title over Saquon Barkley by a commanding
128 yards in one fewer game, but he managed just six rushing touchdowns
and nine total TDs. The lack of rushing touchdowns appears to
be an anomaly, as Dak Prescott did not see an increase in rushing
TDs that would justify taking away opportunities from Zeke.
In the history of the NFL, there were 112 instances of a player
rushing for at least 1400 yards on 300 or more carries in a season.
Out of those 112 seasons, only seven times did a player manage
to rush for six or fewer touchdowns.
Positive touchdown regression is in the mix for Zeke, especially
when you consider the fact that he took a massive jump in receiving
production in 2018 that should continue into 2019. After logging
just 58 receptions in combined in his first two seasons, the Cowboys
finally came to their senses and gave Zeke 77 receptions for 567
yards and three touchdowns last year.
It should also be noted that center Travis Frederick appears
to be on the mend from missing all of last year due to effects
from Guillain-Barre syndrome. His return to the middle of the
Cowboy offensive line, along with an improved passing attack,
should provide Zeke with ample opportunities this season.
WR Amari Cooper
(2018 WR Rank - No.23, 9.6 FPts/G)
Cooper played in nine games with the Cowboys in 2018 after joining
the team via trade from the Oakland Raiders for a 2019 first round
draft pick. In those nine games, Cooper caught 53 balls for 725
yards and six touchdowns on 76 targets.
His 16-game pace based on his numbers with the Cowboys would have
given Cooper 94 catches for 1,288 yards and 12 touchdowns, which
would have placed him firmly inside the top-12 at the wide receiver
position.
On a negative note, Cooper continued his career-trend of monster
games mixed in with duds, with two 30-plus point performances
sandwiched around three games of fewer than five fantasy points.
Lack of consistency is the main reason why Cooper has yet to ascend
to the elite level among wide receivers, as his knack of disappearing
at times burns fantasy owners.
For this reason, Cooper is a far more attractive player in best
ball formats than standard leagues, but he should still be considered
a high-end No.2 WR in both standard and PPR leagues.
Gallup flashed some upside in his rookie season and showed promise
to live up to his third-round draft cost. The former Colorado
State Ram caught 33 receptions for 507 yards and two touchdowns
on 68 targets and finished the year with a career-best six catches
for 119 yards on nine targets against the Rams in the Divisional
Playoff round.
An increased usage down the stretch of six of more targets in
six of his final seven games, including two playoff rounds, show
a positive trend heading into his second season.
Cooper will no doubt be the alpha dog and will lead the team
in targets, and the return of Jason Witten will undoubtedly take
away targets in the passing game as tight end was a wasteland
for Dallas in 2018. But Gallup could be a wild-card play on the
outside with single coverage as teams focus on the other key players
in the passing game.
Cobb signed a one-year $5 million contract with the Cowboys to
presumably replace departed wide receiver Cole Beasley in the
slot. The eight-year veteran finished his time with the Packers
with 470 receptions for 5524 yards and 41 touchdowns, with his
best season as a pro coming in 2014 when he caught 91 passes for
1287 yards and 12 touchdowns.
As the No.3 wide receiver on the depth chart and arguably the
fifth in the pecking order for targets in a group that includes
Zeke Elliott and Jason Witten, it is difficult to see a scenario
in which Cobb will get enough volume to be fantasy relevant.
In addition to volume concerns, Cobb has not played a full 16-game
season since 2015, as a wide variety of soft-tissue injuries have
plagued the once-elusive wide receiver.
Only owners in deep 14-team PPR formats should consider adding
Cobb as a late-round flyer, especially in PPR formats.
After a dreadful single season as the color commentator for Monday
Night Football, Jason Witten returned to the Cowboys to assume
the starting tight end role in an offense that greatly needed
a shot in the arm at the position.
Rico Gathers flashed his elite athleticism at times, and Blake
Jarwin did post a league-winning, three-touchdown performance
for people who play fantasy into the final week of the regular
season. But in reality, the Cowboys needed an upgrade at tight
end, and even at age 37, Witten will be an upgrade over Gathers
and Jarwin.
For fantasy purposes, it does not take much for a player to finish
as a tight end one, and Witten certainly can post five touchdowns
and 600 yards that would place him squarely into TE rankings.
But he lacks the ceiling of other players at the position who
have the chance of breaking out, like Chris Herndon or even Mike
Gesicki.
