Dallas Cowboys DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has had a very good training camp to this point and could be the leader in rushing for the team this season, per The Athletic's Jon Machota and his latest 53-man roster projection. The Cowboys recently signed Royce Freeman (groin), who left camp on Monday with a groin injury with an unclear timeline for a return. Dowdle provides a bit of juice into the Cowboys' backfield, and along with the returning Ezekiel Elliott, should provide a solid one-two combination of backs in an elite offense this season. While Elliott is the current clubhouse leader for the highest number of touches among Dallas running backs, Dowdle may win out in efficiency this season. This Sunday's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams should help to paint a clearer picture for fantasy managers, but draft Dowdle as an upside RB4 in drafts in the meantime.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report List by the Cowboys on Tuesday. The move creates roster space to allow the Cowboys flexibility while Lamb holds out. Lamb and the Cowboys have been in contract negotiations that have caused Lamb to hold out in protest of the lack of a deal. Lamb is coming off a career year in which he caught 135 passes for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. Fantasy managers should monitor the situation to see how long it may actually drag out. Despite holding out, Lamb is a surefire top-three pick heading into upcoming fantasy drafts.

Dallas Cowboys running back Royce Freeman (groin) might remain out of practice on Tuesday, and Deuce Vaughn (hamstring) likely won't practice either, head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters. It adds fuel to the breakout case for late-round sleeper Rico Dowdle, who "has been the face of the committee and could be the lead guy during the season. In practices, he's had solid showings in pass protection, flashed receiving ability, and gotten the call to run in high-leverage situations." Starter Ezekiel Elliott remains the best bet for touches and the favorite to lead the Cowboys in carries this year as the incumbent veteran during the early stages of the season, but the speedier Dowdle has stood out at training camp and could push him for work in Dallas' backfield this fall. Sunday's preseason opener against the hosting Los Angeles Rams should offer fantasy managers a clearer picture on the hierarchy here.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo is listed ahead of first-round rookie Xavier Legette (foot) on the team's first unofficial depth chart. Mingo struggled in his rookie campaign after being selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Ole Miss product caught just 43 of his 85 targets for 418 yards and did not find the end zone. The organization added Legette and veteran wideout Diontae Johnson this offseason, and Adam Thielen remains on the roster, so it's tough to get excited about Mingo's fantasy prospects. That said, wide receivers often take a "Year 2 leap," and he could have more upside than expected if quarterback Bryce Young bounces back from an abysmal rookie campaign. Fantasy managers in traditional 12-team leagues can likely ignore him in drafts, but he could be a noteworthy waiver-wire option if he impresses early in the 2024 season.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker (groin) was unable to practice on Saturday. It sounds like the second-year tight end is dealing with a minor groin issue. For now, Schoonmaker is considered as day-to-day. The Cowboys might hold him out of practice for a few days until he's back to full health. The expectation is Schoonmaker will be the No. 2 tight end behind Jake Ferguson this season. He finished with eight receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games last season. There probably won't be a ton of fantasy value for Schoonmaker with Ferguson ahead of him on the depth chart.