The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most potent offenses in the league and in fantasy football as well. They were the only team in 2019 to have a top-10 finisher at quarterback (Dak Prescott – 2nd), wide receiver (Amari Cooper – 9th) and running back (Ezekiel Elliott – 4th).
They went out and made an upgrade at WR3 and got rid of an offensive head coach many thought held back the full-game explosiveness of the parts. How will things shape up in 2020? Here’s a look at what’s new and what camp battles may take place that impact the production.
This content appears in print in the Sports Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Preview.
What’s new
The football gods dropped a future WR1 into the Cowboys’ lap when Oklahoma wideout CeeDee Lamb made it to No. 17. Dallas, seemingly primed for a defensive pick, wisely made the selection. He will eat up snaps vacated by Randall Cobb and many of the looks that went to Jason Witten at tight end. Each saw 83 targets last season, and with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup demanding WR1 and borderline WR2 attention, Lamb could thrive.
Blake Jarwin averaged 3 more yards per catch than Witten, so he’ll soak up targets and could be a steal in the late rounds. Ezekiel Elliott will have more opportunities to roam free as the first premier back new head coach Mike McCarthy has had since Eddie Lacy’s slender days. The horizontal West Coast approach should mix well with Kellen Moore’s vertical attack, allowing Dak Prescott his best year. An increase in snaps for EPA monster Tony Pollard should make him a nice flex option depending on the matchup. He should definitely be rostered as a handcuff to Elliott if you can pull it off, but as a stand alone there’s a lot of upside for the NFL’s shiftiest back in 2019.
Camp battles
The weaponry is set in stone atop the depth chart. The fourth receiver could be veteran Devin Smith, but youngsters could push for snaps. None is roster-worthy, though. The offensive line is where the battles will occur as Connor Williams, Connor McGovern, rookie Tyler Biadasz and veteran Joe Looney will compete for left guard and center.
Whoever wins will be cogs in what should be an offensive juggernaut limited only by how often the defense gets the ball back.
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