QB Dak Prescott
(2019 QB Rank - No.3, 25.9 FPts/G)
Dak posted career highs in passing yards (4,902), passing touchdowns
(30), and pass attempts (596) last season in route to an impressive
third-overall finish based on fantasy points per game, behind only
Lamar Jackson and Jameis Winston. Prescott’s 25.7 points per game
were nearly four points more per game than in 2018, despite the
fact that he rushed for only three rushing touchdowns compared to
six in each of his first three seasons in the league.
You can make a strong argument that Prescott boasts the best wide
receiving corps in the NFL, with rookie CeeDee Lamb joining an already
stacked group of Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. Add in Zeke Elliott
out of the backfield and an improving Blake Jarwin at tight end,
and you have a complete set of receiving threats for Dak that should
give him another shot at finishing as a top-5 QB.
No other team in the NFL averaged more yards per game than the
Cowboys (431.5), yet the team failed to make the playoffs and
head coach Jason Garrett was replaced by former Packers HC Mike
McCarthy. Considering McCarthy is an offensive-minded head coach
who kept offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on staff to call the
plays, Dallas should be in line to be another gold mine for fantasy
production in 2020.
2019 was a catch-22 season for Elliott. As expected, he bounced
back from a disappointing six rushing touchdown season in 2018 to
finish with a more respectable 12 last year, while adding 1357 rushing
yards on the ground. Yet he caught 33 fewer passes for 147 fewer
receiving yards, despite playing in one extra game. When the final
whistle blew on another disappointing year for the Cowboys, Zeke
posted 261.7 total fantasy points to finish as a top-5 running back
despite averaging the fewest fantasy points of his career.
With the addition of first round pick CeeDee Lamb to an already
crowded wide receiving corps, it is difficult to see how Zeke will
get back up to his career-high 77 receptions that he posted in 2018.
The lack of passing volume compared to other top running backs like
Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley will make it difficult for
Elliott to finish the season as the No.1 overall running back. Despite
this fact, he is a workhorse back on one of the best offenses in
the league, making him worthy of a top-5 pick in drafts this summer.
Fantasy owners should continue to monitor the health of Zeke as
we get closer to draft day. Zeke is one of a few Cowboys who reportedly
tested positive for COVID-19 in early June. Zeke was asymptomatic
and claims to be fine, but the long-term effects of the virus
are not 100% clear.
WR Amari
Cooper
(2019 WR Rank - No.13, 10.5 FPts/G)
With five receiving touchdowns in his first five games, including
a monster 226-yard, one-touchdown against the Packers Week 5, Amari
Cooper looked primed to challenge Michael Thomas as the top fantasy
wide receiver in the league.
Yet in typical Cooper fashion, the former Raider burned owners with
one catch for three yards against the Jets. That is what you should
expect from Cooper - massive games sandwiched between head-scratching
performances that can torpedo your team.
From a volume standpoint, his 7.4 targets per game that he averaged
last year is not exactly the type of usage you would like from a
No.1 WR. Now with the addition of CeeDee Lamb in the slot, it is
hard to envision Cooper getting more than the 119 targets he received
last season.
Yes, he is a talented route runner who is playing on one of the
best offenses in the league. But from a fantasy perspective, he
may not live up to the early-round capital required to draft him.
It may surprise many owners to learn that Michael Gallup averaged
the same number of fantasy points per game than Amari Cooper last
season. The second-year wideout from Colorado State University posted
his first 1100 yards season, while topping 100 targets for the first
time.
How did the Cowboys reward Gallup for his amazing play on the field?
They used their first round pick on Oklahoma Star WR CeeDee Lamb,
widely considered the top wide receiver in the 2020 draft class.
From a real life football perspective the addition of Lamb in the
slot is a massive improvement over veteran Randall Cobb. Lamb is
more explosive and better at 50/50 balls, giving Dak Prescott a
third deadly option in the passing game.
Yet from a fantasy perspective, the addition of Lamb could limit
the number of targets for Gallup and Cooper on the outside, effectively
limiting the overall value of both players.
Sure, Cobb’s 80 targets are up for grabs now that he is
in Houston, and presumably Lamb could only get those vacant targets.
But the reality is the Cowboys are going to get their new rookie
weapon involved, which does not bode well for the other options.
The biggest winner this offseason for the Cowboys: Dak Prescott.
Many writers and draft pundits thought the Cowboys would use their
first round pick on a cornerback, safety, or outside rusher to help
their defense. Yet when CeeDee Lamb fell into their lap at pick
17, Jerry Jones could not help but take the talented wide receiver.
Lamb projects to work out of the slot, with Amari Cooper and Michael
Gallup on the outside. His 6’2’ frame gives him a size
advantage over nickel corners and linebackers who try to guard him
over the middle, creating mismatches for opposing defenses.
His addition is huge for Dak Prescott, who is coming off his best
season as a pro with 4900 yards and 30 touchdowns. For fantasy owners,
Lamb may not get as much volume as some think as the third option,
yet he could take over the No.2 option for Gallup in terms of volume.
The skill set and the offense make Lamb a very attractive upside
play. Just don’t be surprised if he is not quite a star
right out of the gates.
The starting tight end for a potent offense like the Cowboys is
going to make Jarwin a sleeper favorite for many fantasy owners
this season. Now that Jason Witten is a Las Vegas Raider and the
Cowboys signed Jarwin to an extension, the narrative for Jarwin
apologists is the former Oklahoma State Cowboy is in line for a
third-year breakout season.
The upside is there based on talent and apparent opportunity for
snaps, but you could argue he is the fifth option on a team that
boasts arguably the best receiving corps in the league.
He will flash here and there, but only a massive touchdown rate
increase will make him worthy of starting each week.
