Cowboys' Fantasy Football Outlook: Who will Lead the Backfield? Can Dak Prescott, Jake Ferguson and Others Bounce Back?

It's time to go over another fantasy football outlook, this time looking over the Dallas Cowboys.

We have covered the Steelers, Packers, Titans, Panthers, Chiefs, Falcons, Jaguars, Commanders, Texans, Cardinals, Bengals, Lions, Dolphins, 49ers, Chargers, Eagles, Ravens, Seahawks, Bills, Buccaneers and Patriots so far. We will go over the other teams before the end of this week, so keep checking back for more!

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Dak Prescott Fantasy Outlook

Prescott is back as the team's quarterback after only getting in eight games a season ago.

He had 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a passer in his time on the field, so it was an underwhelming fantasy season even before the injuries. Prescott added 54 rushing yards and a score.

In 17 games in 2023, Prescott was stellar. He rushed for 242 yards and two scores and threw for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions. 

Prescott is QB10 and is going around pick 102 in fantasy drafts so far. 

I think Prescott has top-10 upside as well, and would be fine with him as my fantasy QB1. However, I'd definitely have a backup plan in case, not only in case he gets injured again, but because you never know how a player will come back from a big injury.

The Dallas offense will be led by the passing game again in 2025, and that should help Prescott be a really good fantasy asset. He has weekly starting upside, and could end up as your primary starter if he bounces back.

Running Back Fantasy Outlook

Javonte Williams is the team's projected starting running back. It seems that Miles Sanders has fallen out of favor and could be a cut candidate, leaving rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah as the backup options.

Williams is in his first year with the Cowboys, after falling out of favor in Denver. He had 513 rushing yards and four scores and an additional 346 yards on 52 catches and 70 targets across 17 games and 11 starts with Denver a season ago.

He's capable of going for 1,000+ total yards and a handful of scores, but that will be determined by how much he's on the field in 2025. He is RB36 and going near pick 98.

That's a pretty low-risk pick for a possible starting back for a team that's expected to have a pretty good offense. There's some risk involved because he could split the backfield and maybe fall behind both rookies eventually, but I think the positives outweigh the negatives here.

I'm a fan of drafting Williams near his ADP and taking a swing on him as a fourth or fifth fantasy back. Treat him as a potential flex starting option, not an every-week starter, and you'll be sitting pretty.

Blue is RB42 and is going near pick 119 on average. Mafah isn't on the ADP list, while Sanders is dropping fast, but still at RB67 and near pick 230.

Blue was the team's fifth-round pick this offseason, while Mafah was a seventh-round selection. Both guys had solid collegiate careers, with Mafah having more experience and tread on his tires.

If I had to pick one of the rookies, I'd go with Blue. He seems to be ahead of Mafah, and that makes sense given what picks they were, and in line to be the backup to Williams. Both rookies could end up powering the backfield by the end of the season though.

For now, Blue is worth a late-round pick, while Mafah is a deep-league stash option, in my eyes. Both are lottery picks to a degree, but I do expect Blue to carve out an offensive role, so that's why I'm fine stashing him late in a standard league draft.

I'm out on Sanders and would only consider him in deeper leagues. I think he could end up on another team before the start of the season, and I wouldn't expect his role to be that prominent if that happened. 

Stashing him in a deeper fantasy setup is a longshot lottery ticket I think, and I wouldn't expect much fantasy value out of him. Skip him outside the deepest of leagues.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Outlook

CeeDee Lamb is back to lead the wide receiver room after an injury-riddled season of his own. George Pickens joins the fold as another big-name wideout, while Jalen Tolbert is the other projected starter. Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin, Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Cropper are some backup options.

Lamb is WR3 and going around pick six on average. 

Across 15 games last season, he went for 1,264 total yards and six touchdowns. It was a bit of regression from an 1,862-yard and 14-touchdown 2023 season, but you also have to remember that he played nearly half his season without Prescott, and was banged up for a good portion of the year.

Even with those things working against him, Lamb was a top-end fantasy wide receiver. He should be back to that level of play again this season if everyone stays healthy.

I think his draft slot is perfect. I like him after Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, but definitely inside the first round. He has more upside than any other receiver, and there's a chance he hops Chase or Jefferson too, so there's enough draft value to take Lamb early.

Build your receiving corps around him, and be thrilled if you get him any later than pick six.

Pickens is WR30 and going near pick 67.

In 14 games a season ago with Pittsburgh, Pickens had 900 yards and three scores. He's a fine receiver, but I personally think he's a better No. 2 option, and he'll fill exactly that role in Dallas. 

I think he could thrive behind Lamb, and for that reason, Pickens is a fine pick around his ADP. I wouldn't take him any earlier than that, so his ADP will be one to watch as the season gets closer.

Getting him as a third fantasy wideout is fine by me, and he can fill a final starting spot at WR, or be a really good flex option throughout the season.

Tolbert is WR109 and is going around pick 350. Turpin is WR111 and going near pick 358. That obviously makes them just deep-league assets.

Tolbert went for 610 yards and seven scores across 17 games last season. I think he could regress from those numbers, especially if Lamb and Pickens stay healthy. Most people agree with me, and that's why his ADP is so low.  

Turpin had 512 yards and two scores across 17 contests. He too might regress now that everyone is healthy again, and there's another better receiver to contend with. 

I'd skip Tolbert and Turpin outside really deep leagues. It seems pretty unlikely that either guy would be a big fantasy asset in 2025.

Tight End Fantasy Outlook

Part of the reason why Tolbert and Turpin are also likely to regress is because Jake Ferguson is back healthy again at tight end. He's TE15 and going near pick 129 on average. 

In 14 games a season ago, Ferguson had 494 yards and no touchdowns. That was highly disappointing after he went for 761 yards and five scores over 17 games in 2023.

I'd split the numbers from his past two seasons as a solid projection for 2025. I think he could really thrive in this offense with Lamb and Pickens around him now. I could see Ferguson bouncing back in a big way.

I like Ferguson near his ADP, and would be happy to add him as a second fantasy TE for my team. He'll be a low-risk pick near that ADP, but could become a weekly starting option at TE, or as a flex guy.

Draft him if you can and hope he stays healthy, because he'll bounce back if that's the case.