Looking back at 2021, the Dallas Cowboys had the best offense in football, but none of their skill players had an elite season. WR Amari Cooper (68/865/8) fell short of expectations, and WR Michael Gallup (35/445/2) missed eight games. WR CeeDee Lamb (79/1,102/6) improved slightly, but he failed to post a difference-maker year (19th ranked wideout in PPR formats) despite his preseason hype. RB Ezekiel Elliott gained over 55 rushing yards only once over his final 11 starts, leading to an RB2 feel in fantasy scoring (253.10). RB Tony Pollard helped off the bench while looking more explosive at running back. The only overachiever was TE Dalton Schultz (78/808/4). QB Dak Prescott had boom-or-bust stats in half of his games, with regression in his value as a runner (48/146/1).
Dallas brings back most of the same nucleus on offense except for losing Cooper and WR Cedrick Wilson. So the coin toss for fantasy drafters is whether Elliott is fading off into the sunset, or does he dig down for one more elite impact year? And will the additions of WR James Washington and WR Jalen Tolbert help the Cowboys soar to new heights in their quest for their first Super Bowl title since 1995?
I know one thing for sure; the Cowboys locked up two impact defenders (LB Micah Parsons and CB Trevor Diggs) over the past two drafts.
OFFENSE
The Cowboys were one of two teams to gain over 7,000 yards last year. They want to blend run and pass while leaning on their ball-control offense when playing from the lead. With a rebound in play on defense, Dallas may rely more on rushing the ball in 2022.
QUARTERBACKS
Dak Prescott – click here for fantasy projections
Other options: Cooper Rush, Will Grier, Ben DiNucci
