Dallas Cowboys DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Brooks has been drawing positive reviews this offseason, and his success has continued into training camp. According to Calvin Watkins of Dallas News, Brooks has been "outstanding." Brooks was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of South Carolina and played in seven games as a rookie, collecting six receptions for 64 yards. Following the departure of Michael Gallup, the team's WR3 role is open behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. If Brooks beats out Jalen Tolbert, he will be worth rostering in deep fantasy football leagues. For now, he's at least an interesting late-round dart throw in best ball formats.

According to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, quarterback Trey Lance will be on the 53-man roster to start the season. Lance, selected third overall in the 2021 NFL draft by the San Fransisco 49ers, has had a rough start to his career and entered training camp as the Cowboys' QB3. However, Lance has had a good training camp and has been impressive so far in the preseason. In two games, he has completed 40-for-64 (62.5%) of his pass attempts for 339 passing yards, 78 rushing yards, and two total touchdowns. Lance is currently battling Cooper Rush to be the backup quarterback behind Dak Prescott. If he keeps up his improved performance, he may enter Week 1 as Dallas' second-string quarterback.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is reportedly having promising contract talks with the team, according to owner and general manager Jerry Jones. Lamb has been holding out during the preseason and training camp as he seeks a contract extension. Lamb finished 2023 with 1,749 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on a league-leading 135 receptions. He is fully worth a top-of-the-market wide receiver extension. The Cowboys are cutting contract negotiations dangerously close to the regular season. All Cowboys fans and fantasy managers can do is hope that the two sides can come to an agreement in the next few weeks.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo has been working with the first-team offense ahead of first-round pick Xavier Legette throughout training camp. Mingo and Terrace Marshall Jr. combined for three catches in Saturday's preseason loss to the New York Jets after each had a drop in the preseason opener, and it sounds like they'll be the more reliable bets for snaps in three-receiver sets with veterans Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen for quarterback Bryce Young. The Panthers chose Legette with the final pick of Round 1 in this past spring's NFL Draft to augment their receiving corps, but the team may not thrust him into a featured role to begin Year 1. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues should consider Legette a dart-throw WR5/6 flier at the end of 12-team drafts this summer, but the 23-year-old wideout does have a chance to become Carolina's preferred deep threat at some stage of the 2024 season.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) worked with the rehab group off to the side during training camp practice on Monday. Cooks has been held out of practice and the team's second preseason game on Saturday since injuring his knee at practice last Thursday, but the 30-year-old veteran's injury isn't believed to be too serious. However, with CeeDee Lamb, the team's No. 1 wideout, still holding out due to a contract dispute, quarterback Dak Prescott's top receiving targets in practice are now Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Cropper and Jalen Brooks. Before Cooks' knee injury, he was developing great chemistry with Prescott, and he could bounce back in 2024 with Michael Gallup no longer around after putting up a 54-657-8 line in 16 regular-season games last year. Cooks probably isn't a 1,000-yard receiver anymore, but he could have some use as a WR4/flex in the right matchups for fantasy managers.