Now six weeks into the NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys hold a 3-3 record and sit in third place in the NFC East.
Dallas ranks 19th in scoring and 14th in yards tallied on the offensive end, while ranking dead-last in rushing yards. Defensively, they also rank 30th in points allowed and 24th in yards given up.
There were several contractual storylines leading into the season surrounding the Cowboys. Ultimately, both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb received their massive contracts shortly before the season started. However, the level of play to start the year has not been as hoped and the team will hope this changes moving forward.
Dak Prescott’s Level of Play
Through the opening six weeks, Dak Prescott has completed just 63.4% of his passes, his lowest rate since 2017, throwing for 1,602 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions. While Prescott still ranks third in the league in passing yards, he is tied for 12th in passing touchdowns and has thrown the second-most interceptions.
Coming off a season in which Prescott led the NFL in completions and passing touchdowns before becoming the highest-paid player in the NFL, it is fair to say that he has not fully lived up to expectations.
There is still time left in the season for Prescott and the Cowboys to right the ship, but no amount of feistiness from Jerry Jones with the media will change things until the level of play on the field is improved.
Dak Prescott’s impact on CeeDee Lamb
While Prescott has not lived up to his standards, CeeDee Lamb could be in a much worse situation when compared to the quarterback play across the league.
Lamb currently ranks 12th in the NFL in receptions, third in targets, fifth in receiving yards and eighth in receiving yards per game. While he has made it in the end zone twice, the lack of touchdowns have been the main thing holding him back. This is especially the case considering Lamb hauled in 12 touchdowns last year.
Overall, Lamb ranks 21st in fantasy points per game and 13th in total fantasy points based on DraftKings scoring. He should continue to be looked at as a WR1 in most situations and be an every-week starter in fantasy football lineups. This may not end up being the best season for either Prescott or Lamb, but they still will produce well above the level of most in the NFL. Expect Lamb to finish the season as one of the top receivers in the NFL just like it was expected coming into the season.
Dak Prescott’s impact on Rico Dowdle
While Prescott may headline the team, their inability to produce a regular running game has been a greater concern. Dallas ranks dead-last in rushing yards tallied as a team, dead-last in net yards per rush attempt and 31st in rushing touchdowns.
Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott have split carries in the backfield with neither showing much success. Dowdle has carried the ball 59 times on the season, which he has converted to 246 yards. He also has added 16 receptions for 131 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
As a team, the Cowboys have thrown the ball 238 times and rushed just 133 times. While the 64.2% passing rate has been partially dictated by the game scripts, Dallas hangs its hat on being a pass-first team.
While there has been talk of Dowdle being more involved in the offense moving forward, the Cowboys need to prove this before you should believe it. He currently ranks 30th among running backs in total fantasy points and 35th in fantasy points per game based on DraftKings scoring.
For the Cowboys to find their stride, it will take a more productive balance in the offense and a more effective rushing game. The outlook for Rico Dowdle is not quite as positive as it could be until this is the case. The Dallas offensive line is not as strong as it once was and the entire offense has felt this impact. Hopefully, they can figure things out during the bye week and return with a more clear commitment to the rushing attack.
Dak Prescott’s Impact on Jake Ferguson
Outside of CeeDee Lamb, the options for Dak Prescott to target are fairly slim. Jake Ferguson is tied for second on the team in targets with 34, and he has converted these into 25 receptions for 240 yards. Ferguson has yet to make his way into the end zone this season.
Tight end production has been down across the NFL so far this season. Ferguson has not been an outlier here, and he also missed Week 2 with a knee injury.
Overall he ranks ninth among tight ends in fantasy points per game and 11th in total fantasy points with just 49.0 total points on the season based on DraftKings scoring. Ferguson has been targeted at least four times in each game and recorded three or more receptions in each. While he is coming off a season-low 11 receiving yards, better days should be ahead.
Overall Cowboys Outlook
There are plenty of complaints you can have about this Cowboys team. Despite holding a 3-3 record, they have been outscored by opponents 168-126 on the season, which includes most recently being blown out 47-9 by the Detroit Lions. It is fair to assess they should have been more active in the offseason and that the front office failed to address some positions of need.
With all that being said, expect that their best football is still to come. Dallas has its flaws, but the level of play of Prescott and his surrounding skill players still keeps a higher floor than many teams around the league.
Show some patience and expect things to look better after the bye week. They haven’t put themselves in the best spot as a team through the opening six weeks, but don’t write off Prescott and the Cowboys just yet.
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