The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Like other high scoring offenses, the Cowboys also have a plenty of viable fantasy football options. In this piece, I will be breaking down the Cowboys’ offense, as well as discussing what kind of impact they can have towards your fantasy team!
Dak is Back!
Dallas has a plethora of valuable fantasy football assets. Who better to start with than the quarterback, Dak Prescott. Dak has been solid in the first stretch of his NFL career. Though easily a Top-10 QB in the NFL, he still has much to prove.
In my opinion, Dak is the type of QB you want on your fantasy football team. He is in a high powered offense, and doesn’t make many mistakes. However, last season was rough for Dak Prescott owners as he would go down in Week 5 with a season-ending ankle injury. I don’t think that will be an issue during the season, as all signs point to his ankle being 100 percent healthy going into the year.
Through the five games Dak played in last season, he averaged almost two points more than Patrick Mahomes – who ended up finishing as the QB2 in fantasy football. Through his first four games last season, Dak was on pace for 6,760 passing yards and 36 passing touchdowns.
In Kellen Moore’s first year as offensive coordinator, the Cowboys passed on 66.2 percent of their offensive plays. Dak Prescott also ranked second in adjusted completion rate on throws 20 yards or more downfield. Prescott’s current fantasy football ADP per Sleeper App is the QB6. With the weapons Dallas has around him, I expect another strong fantasy year out of Dak. Look for him to finish in the top five for his position.
Amari Cooper’s Big Year?
Moving onto the Cowboys’ receivers, how will they fare with their quarterback back in action?
Last year, Amari Cooper was the WR15 in PPR leagues (19th in standard). With bad QB play throughout most of 2020, Cooper still managed to rack up 92 catches, 1,114 receiving yards, and five touchdowns. With Dak back, Cooper should produce similar numbers, with a possible uptick in touchdowns.
Cooper continues to be a deep threat for the Cowboys, regardless of who is throwing to him. When Dak went down last season, Cooper’s yards per route run went from 2.1 with Dak on the field, to 1.72 with the other QBs under center. Expect that number to increase again in 2021. With an ADP of WR15, Amari Cooper has Top-10 upside, and is worth taking at that spot.
Do You Ceedee?
Ceedee Lamb is here to make a name for himself. Ceedee jumped on every opportunity he had last season, and didn’t disappoint. Though he had an excellent year, it could have been ever better.
The rookie was on pace for 93 catches and 1,386 yards before Prescott went down. Once Dak went down however, the numbers saw a bit of a slide. Lamb went from having a 73 percent catch rate with Dak on the field, to 63.5 percent with the other quarterbacks. His yards per reception also fell, going from 15.3 yards a catch to 11.2.
Lamb ran 93.2 percent off his routes from the slot last season, and I expect him to continue that this year. There’s plenty to be excited about from Lamb moving forward, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he finished as Dallas’ top scoring WR in 2021.
With an ADP at WR22, Lamb is good enough to sneak his way into the Top-10 this season – even with Cooper and Michael Gallup as competition. CeeDee is worth every penny at his current ADP.
Gallup My Way
Michael Gallup doesn’t get the love that his two teammates get amongst the fantasy football community, but he’s still a solid option for teams this year.
In 2020, targets among the receivers were close, with Amari Cooper getting 8.1 per game, Ceedee Lamb tallying 6.9 a game, and Gallup coming in at 6.6 targets a game. Gallup led the group in targets four times last season, and tied for the most targets two other times. Even being the third option among the Dallas WRs, he still managed to finish as the WR38 in PPR leagues (35th in standard scoring).
Gallup works downfield more than Cooper and Lamb do as well. Through his first three seasons, he has led the group in average depth of target. Even though Gallup faces plenty of competition for targets, I expect the Cowboys to continue to sling the ball downfield at the rate they’ve been doing, if not more this upcoming season.
At his current ADP (WR50), Gallup brings plenty of value to fantasy football managers that take him. With Dak Prescott being back under center this gives Gallup weekly upside, but it might be tough to count on him every week due to the crowded WR room. If all goes well this upcoming season, expect Gallup to make a push at finishing as a WR3.
Ol’ Reliable
This is going to be short and sweet. Ezekiel Elliott is always a reliable option for fantasy football owners. Zeke is currently my fourth ranked running back in Redraft leagues, only behind Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, and Alvin Kamara.
Last season, Zeke ranked 9th in PPR scoring (11th in standard). I expect an uptick in production this season. Last year was a mess for the Cowboys offense with Prescott’s injury, as well as the entire OL being decimated. Dallas’ left tackle (Tyron Smith) missed 14 games, their right tackle (La’el Collins) missed the entire season, Zack Martin missed six games due to a calf strain, and Travis Frederick retired due to health reasons. They went from seventh in run-blocking grade in 2019, to 29th in 2020 with most of them injured. Dallas’ entire line should be healthy going into this year, which gives Elliott more value.
With an entirely healthy offensive line, Zeke’s ADP of 9th overall is a steal for those drafting in the back end of the first round. Easily expect a top five finish at his position this season. Drown out the Tony Pollard noise, I see no reason to expect the Cowboys to utilize Pollard more this season.
Expect the Cowboys to have a high scoring, and one of the top offenses in the league. Whether it’s their quarterback, one of their receivers, or their star running back, you should be happy with their production. With an entirely healthy offense, this should be a big year for the Cowboys’ weapons.
