It’s safe to say Dallas Cowboys fans are not having a good time right now. Following the disappointing conclusion to the Micah Parsons saga, they lost their opening night game to their hated rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. The thrill of a narrow Week 2 win over the Giants was short-lived as the ‘Boys were boat-raced in Week 3 by the Bears. Worst of all, CeeDee Lamb suffered an ankle injury that will keep him out. Already 1-2, Dallas needs receivers like KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert to step up.
So, which of these receivers will be the better fantasy option in Week 4? Let’s break it down.
Analysis
Lamb went down with his injury after playing only seven total snaps. This gives us a near-full game of usage to figure out what Dallas’ passing attack may look like in Week 4 against the Packers.
Let’s look at the snaps first. Tolbert led all Cowboys receivers with an 88% snap share, followed by George Pickens at 82% and Turpin at 66%. Jake Ferguson dominated the pass targets, garnering 14 looks, while Pickens finished second with nine. Turpin ended up tied for fifth, but ended up with a better receiving total than Tolbert. Turpin turned his two catches into 64 yards, while Tolbert converted three catches into 24 yards. Turpin is easily the more explosive player of those two.
Turpin also finds usage elsewhere. He has five total rushing attempts through three games and continues his work as a kick and punt returner. If you play in a league that rewards you for return yards, he gets an extra boost. And with the new kickoff rules, he certainly has a chance at scoring a special teams touchdown.
So, who do we go with? Is the answer the dependable, high-usage Tolbert or the explosive and versatile Turpin?
The verdict
If you’re forced to play one of the two against a stout Packers defense, I trust Turpin. He has considerable big-play potential, the bonus of his return usage, and more of a floor than you would think.
He can only make so many big plays before Brian Schottenheimer decides to trust him as the WR2 behind Pickens. That could be a valuable role as long as Lamb is out, and even possibly beyond that if he remains on the field for three-receiver sets. Take the gamble on the talent.
