Dallas Cowboys

Despite the fact that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks has scored a touchdown in two of the last three games, he remains a very volatile flex option for fantasy managers in Week 16 heading into a Sunday night showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since returning in Week 13 from a knee injury that required surgery, Cooks has seven receptions on 15 targets for 53 yards and two touchdowns. In the four games he played with quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) before his knee injury, Cooks had only nine catches (19 targets) for 91 yards and one touchdown. It's safe to say the 31-year-old veteran is showing serious signs of decline as a deep threat in the NFL, and he's highly dependent on getting into the end zone. The Bucs defense has been a plus matchup for receivers this year, although they've stiffened up in recent weeks. Cooks' limited volume makes him one to avoid.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson heads into Sunday night's matchup against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16 still searching for his first touchdown of 2024. Although the matchup is a good one against a Buccaneers defense that has allowed 12.1 half-PPR points per game to the TE position this year (sixth-most in the NFL), Ferguson just hasn't shown any real signs of breaking out with quarterback Cooper Rush under center. The 25-year-old has just five catches on 10 targets for 55 yards after returning from a two-game absence due to injury. But even before that, Ferguson was struggling to make a weekly impact for his fantasy managers. The good news is the Bucs have allowed the second-most receiving yards (974) to tight ends this year, so even if Ferguson stays out of the end zone, he could rack up some decent yardage to make him a top-12 TE in the fantasy semifinals in most leagues.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush is set up with a friendly matchup on Sunday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16 as he looks for a second straight strong performance. Rush had one of his better performances of the year in last week's win over the Carolina Panthers, throwing for 214 yards and a season-high three touchdowns in the 30-14 win. He'll now take on a Buccaneers defense that is tied with the bad Cincinnati Bengals defense for the second-most fantasy points allowed to opposing signal-callers. They've allowed 23 touchdown passes on the year with only seven interceptions, and they've also surrendered the fourth-most passing yards overall. The 31-year-old veteran backup's ceiling obviously isn't a high one, but Rush has the potential to be a very serviceable QB2 in superflex leagues in a primetime game at home on Sunday evening.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (knee) will be facing a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense on Sunday Night Football in Week 16 that has allowed the fewest half-PPR points to opposing RBs in the last five weeks, which includes just one rushing touchdown given up. However, because of the high volume that Dowdle has been seeing of late as Dallas' clear-cut No. 1 RB, he'll carry high-end RB2 value for fantasy managers still alive in the playoffs. The 26-year-old is coming off a a career-best 149 rushing yards on 25 carries in last week's win over the Carolina Panthers after setting a previous career-best with 131 rushing yards the week prior. In the last four games, Dowdle has really been eating, seeing at least 18 carries per game and averaging 5.69 yards per attempt with a touchdown. Fantasy managers may not want to expect another career performance on Sunday night, but Dowdle is certainly trending up.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) has continued to be a major contributor in fantasy football despite losing his quarterback, Dak Prescott (hamstring), in the middle of the season. Lamb has looked solid in six full games with Cooper Rush under center, as the two have connected for 41 completions, 429 yards, and two touchdowns. He ranks as the overall WR11 during that six-game span and he has found the end zone in each of his last two contests. In Week 16, Lamb will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose defensive secondary has been suspect at times in 2024. The Buccaneers have allowed the 13th-fewest fantasy points to slot receivers, as well as the 13th-most fantasy points to receivers who operate out wide. Lamb has played 368 snaps (46.6 percent) from the slot this season, which is the seventh-most in the NFL. Still, he should be able to feast against the Buccaneers, who allowed Los Angeles Chargers slot receiver Ladd McConkey to put up five catches, 58 yards, and one touchdown against them in Week 15. For fantasy purposes, Lamb continues to rank as an intriguing fantasy playmaker in the mid- to low-WR1 range this Sunday.