Dallas Cowboys DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks isn't a great option in Week 1 fantasy lineups. The Cowboys offense will once again run through CeeDee Lamb and the running game, with Cooks playing more of a support role on the field. Last season, Cooks ended up as the WR43. All of that, combined with a strong Cleveland Browns secondary, makes Cooks an easy pass in starting lineups for the first week of the season.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is all set to go for a Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns. Lamb missed the preseason while holding out for his newly signed contract, but he was reportedly still working out and staying in game shape, so he's ready to go for the season opener on Sunday. Lamb was a top pick in essentially every league and is completely matchup proof regardless of the tough Browns secondary. While he'll be ranked as the overall WR1 most weeks, there may be a couple of guys ahead of him this week just because of the tiniest slice of uncertainty.

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle may be the best running back on the Cowboys roster, but he's still a very risky play in fantasy lineups in Week 1. While Dowdle could and likely will end up being the top fantasy running back in Dallas by the end of the season, it may take a few weeks for him to build up steam and work his way into a full starting role. With veterans Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook in the way for now, Dowdle will be little more than a flex play with slight upside against the Browns in Week 1.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott faces a tough matchup in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. Prescott was excellent last season, finishing as the overall fantasy QB4 for the season and the overall QB1 in fantasy points per game from Week 6 on. With a similar supporting cast of pass catchers this year, Prescott should once again be a solid fantasy contributor, although Week 1 will be one of his toughest challenges, as the Browns secondary allowed the fourth-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks last season. Dak remains a QB1 option, but he's on the lower end of that ranking for this week.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Wednesday that the team is still watching the repetitions with star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in practice adding that "we're building up to Sunday." Lamb was most likely the top receiver to come off the board in most fantasy drafts, so if he's active in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday as is expected, he needs to be in all starting lineups. The 25-year-old remains on the commissioner's exempt list after holding out for all of training camp and the preseason, but he and the Cowboys were able to agree on a four-year, $136 million contract extension last week. While Lamb is always a must-start when he's active, there's obvious bust potential out of the gates after he missed so much practice time with the team this summer. The former 17th overall pick in 2020 has three straight 1,000-yard seasons and led the league in 2023 with 135 receptions.