In the ninth of a 32-part series, we are featuring all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. Here are the Dallas Cowboys.
Key Off-Season Acquisition
When it comes to player personnel, the Dallas Cowboys signed outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. of St. Petersburg, Florida to a one-year deal worth $6 million. Fowler Jr. played last season with the Washington Commanders. This will be Fowler Jr.’s second stint in Dallas, as he was previously with the Cowboys in 2022 and 2023.
Fowler Jr. is well known for being the third overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was only drafted behind quarterbacks Jameis Winston (by Tampa Bay), and Marcus Mariota (by Tennessee). Fowler Jr. played three seasons with Jacksonville (2016 to 2018), two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams (2018 and 2019), and two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2020 to 2021).
This past season in Washington, Fowler Jr. had 39 combined tackles (25 solo tackles and 14 assisted tackles), 14 tackles for a loss, 12 quarterback hits, 10.5 sacks, one interception for 67 yards which turned out to be a pick six, one pass deflection and two forced fumbles. The pass deflection and pick six came in a 40-7 Commanders win over the Carolina Panthers on October 20. The first forced fumble came in a 27-22 Commanders win over the New York Giants on November 3 and the second forced fumble came in a 30-24 Commanders overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons on December 29.
In Fowler Jr’s two seasons with the Cowboys in 2022 and 2023, he played in a combined total of 34 games. He had 40 combined tackles (30 solo tackles and 10 assisted tackles), 12 tackles for a loss, 16 quarterback hits, 10 sacks, five pass deflections, and three forced fumbles.
The Cowboys also acquired four players via trade. They acquired defensive back Kaiir Elam of Riviera Beach, Florida in a trade with the Buffalo Bills, linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. of Houston, Texas in a trade with the Tennessee Titans, quarterback Joe Milton of Pahokee, Florida in a trade with the New England Patriots, and wide receiver George Pickens of Hoover, Alabama in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dallas also made a coaching change. In is Brian Schottenheimer, and out is Mike McCarthy. Brian Schottenheimer is the son of legendary football coach Marty Schottenheimer.
Fantasy Star
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is ninth in fantasy among wide receivers. Last season he had 101 catches for 1194 receiving yards and six touchdown catches.
Projected Finish
The Cowboys should be third in the NFC East this year. I have them behind Philadelphia and Washington.
