Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys second-year running back Deuce Vaughn (hamstring) returned to the team's joint practice on Wednesday with the Los Angeles Rams after being sidelined two weeks with a hamstring injury. Vaughn had several opportunities to carry the ball and be a receiver. The former sixth-round pick in 2023 should see notable playing time in the preseason game this Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders. The 22-year-old is going to be a change-of-pace option, at best, in Dallas' backfield in 2024 and is currently listed behind Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman and Malik Davis on the team's RB depth chart. Vaughn was a preseason darling going into his rookie season but saw action in only seven games last year, rushing for 40 yards on 23 carries, adding seven receptions for 40 yards through the air.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (ankle) returned to full participation for Wednesday's joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams. Prescott has missed a couple days recently at training camp due to ankle soreness and was held out of the team's preseason opener on Sunday versus the Rams, but it's a non-issue and he should be 100 percent ready to go for the start of the 2024 regular season. It remains to be seen if Prescott and some of the team's starters will see action in the second preseason game this Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders, but if he does, it likely won't be for more than a series or two. The 31-year-old is heading into his final season under contract in 2024 after a career year in 2023. Prescott is a QB1 in fantasy, but he's not an elite one because of the fact that he's not really a rushing threat.

The Dallas Cowboys are still negotiating with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, but a deal remains elusive. Despite over a year of discussions, the Cowboys' best contract offer has yet to reach Lamb's desired figure of nearly $35 million annually, in line with the Vikings' Justin Jefferson, the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback. Lamb is not seeking to surpass Jefferson's salary, as acknowledged by Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones. Last season, Lamb played on a base salary of $2.52 million and will earn $17.991 million this year under the fifth-year option. He had a standout year in 2023, leading the league with 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns and earning his first All-Pro selection.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (ankle) was scheduled to take part in Tuesday's mock game. "If we were in pads today, he would practice," head coach Mike McCarthy said. Prescott will then return to a joint practice on Wednesday with the Los Angeles Rams. The 31-year-old has had some residual ankle soreness crop up this summer, and although the Cowboys held him out of the preseason opener on Sunday, he's in no danger of missing the start of the 2024 regular season. Depending on how his ankle responds in his return to practice, Prescott could suit up and play a few series in the second preseason game this Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders. Prescott had the finest season of his career in 2023, but his lack of rushing production keeps him out of the elite tier of QB1s.

Dallas Cowboys former first-round quarterback Trey Lance has displayed a mixed bag in training camp and so far in the preseason, and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that he's currently in the QB3 developmental phase in Dallas. The Cowboys feel good about Cooper Rush as a QB2, and if they needed to try to win a game without Dak Prescott right now, Rush would be in there, not Lance. The 24-year-old went 25-for-41 for 188 yards in the preseason opener on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, adding 44 rushing yards on six carries. Rush made the start and played just one offensive series. Lance still has plenty of rushing ability and a strong arm, but there still accuracy issues. He's going to need to put forth some better performances in the preseason to make the Cowboys consider moving him up to QB2.