Cowboys Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook: Are There Any Good Starting Options Outside CeeDee Lamb?
Looking over the Cowboys as they prepare for their season opener against the Eagles on Thursday night.
We looked at the Philadelphia Eagles and their fantasy football outlook for week 1, and are now back to go over the Dallas Cowboys.
Those teams kick off the regular season on Thursday night.
Having trouble deciding who to start in week 1? Let the FantasySP start/sit tool help you make a decision.
Dak Prescott Fantasy Outlook
Prescott is healthy again and is ready to lead the Cowboys' offense to better results in 2025.
He opens the season projected for 17 fantasy points in week 1. I have him ranked 12th going into the week.
Prescott only played in eight games last season before succumbing to injury. He threw for 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight picks. Prescott rushed for 54 yards and a score on 13 attempts.
He did not play in the team's two games against Philly last season, which is part of the reason why Dallas was smoked in both contests.
Despite Philly being ahead in a bunch of games last year, they held opposing fantasy quarterbacks in check. This is a below-average matchup for Prescott, and the Cowboys' offense overall.
Running Back Fantasy Outlook
Javonte Williams and Jaydon Blue are expected to lead the Dallas backfield this season. Miles Sanders is also an option.
Williams is projected for 10 PPR fantasy points in week 1, while Blue is at seven. Sanders checks in around three points. None of the Dallas backs made my top-30 ranking list for week 1.
Williams fell out of favor in Denver. He played in 17 games last season, but had just 191 touches. Williams went for 859 total yards and four scores.
Blue was the team's fifth-round pick this offseason, so there's some hype surrounding him. He didn't do a ton while in college, but he gives the team a younger option at the position.
Sanders was in Carolina the past couple years, but failed to make an impact there - he was great in Philly earlier in his career. Sanders had 353 yards and three scores over 79 touches in 11 games played last year.
None of the Dallas running backs are worth standard league starts to kick off the season. None of them really stand out, but I believe Williams will lead the way.
This was the toughest fantasy matchup for a back last season, so that's also working against these guys in week 1.
I'd give a starting spot to Williams in some deeper leagues, but he's not even a must-start guy in those fantasy setups. He'll need to prove it before I'm a believer.
Blue is an even weaker fantasy starting option in week 1. I'd only start him in the deepest of leagues. The same could go for Sanders, who is listed as RB2 for the team.
This backfield could be a fantasy mess all season. I'd do my best to avoid it in the tough matchups, which this week is true, so avoid them all.
Wide Receiver Fantasy Outlook
Dallas has some playmakers at wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
Lamb is projected for 18 PPR points, while Pickens is at 12 projected points. Lamb is my No. 4 fantasy wideout for week 1, while Pickens just missed the top 30.
Lamb appeared in 15 games last season, tallying 1,264 total yards and six scores over 101 catches and 152 targets - he had 1,194 receiving yards.
He played one game against Philly last season, going for 21 yards on six catches and 10 targets. Things will be different with Prescott back there, but this is still a below-average matchup for Lamb and the wideouts. In other words, don't be surprised if he underperforms a bit - he could offset a slower day with a touchdown grab.
The tougher matchup is why I don't have Pickens in my top 30.
Pickens is in his first season in Dallas, after fizzling out in Pittsburgh. He had 900 receiving yards and three scores over 59 grabs and 103 targets in 14 games last season.
He's been his team's No. 1 wideout, but might be better suited for a No. 2 role. There's room for Pickens to shine across from Lamb, so we'll see if his ego can handle being the No. 2 guy.
Jalen Tolbert is the team's other projected starting wideout, but nobody is expecting much from him, or any other Dallas wideout if Lamb and Pickens are healthy. KaVontae Turpin is the only other wideout on the active roster right now - Jalen Brooks, Jalen Cropper, Ryan Flournoy and Traeshon Holden are practice squad wideouts who could get elevated to provide some depth.
Lamb is going to star and lead the wideout room, and Pickens should soak up most of the rest of the targets and production. Outside those two, I'm not expecting much from the other wideouts in Dallas.
Tight End Fantasy Outlook
Jake Ferguson is the team's starting tight end again. He's projected for nine PPR points this week. I have him way down as TE19 for week 1 though.
He has a very tough matchup, based on last year's numbers, and despite being the third-best pass catcher on the team, I really see Ferguson struggling in week 1.
Ferguson had 43 receiving yards across seven catches and 10 targets in two games against Philly last season. I wouldn't read too much into those, and would expect a bit more from him in week 1.
Ferguson played in 14 games overall last season, finishing with 494 yards and no scores over 59 grabs and 86 targets.
I'll be interested to see how much Luke Schoonmaker plays, as he's stolen some production away from Ferguson in the past.
I only have Ferguson as a starting option in deeper leagues for week 1, and he's not even a must-start guy in those leagues. Better days could be ahead, but week 1 is just not looking great for Ferguson.
Kicker Fantasy Outlook
There might not be many great fantasy options on Dallas' offense, but kicker Brandon Aubrey is one of the more highly-regarded guys at his position.
He's projected for seven fantasy points in week 1.
Aubrey was 40-of-47 on his field goal tries in 2024. He made all 30 of his extra points.
In one game against Philly last season, Aubrey missed a field goal and hit his only extra point. In the other contest, he made two field goals, and didn't get an extra point try.
He'll be a better fantasy option for week 1, and should get a couple chances to score, at least.
Defense/Special Teams Fantasy Outlook
The Dallas' D/ST is projected for only six fantasy points this week. That's tied for the second-lowest mark in the league.
The Cowboys' defense was shredded in each game against the Eagles last season. In the first try, Dallas lost 34-6. Philly had 348 total yards, but two turnovers and got sacked five times.
Game two was a 41-7 Philly win. The Eagles had 376 total yards, and avoided a turnover and didn't get sacked either.
Philly's offense is stellar all around, and at full health, there's not many D/STs I'd want to start against them. Dallas' defense is not very good, especially after losing Micah Parsons, so I'd be completely against starting them in week 1.
There has to be a better fantasy D/ST out there. There just has to be.
I see the team's six-point projection as a possible high-end mark. If your league does have negative points, this could be a week that the Dallas D/ST scores below zero. Avoid them at all costs.
