Each week with the positional rankings, I’m going to offer you what you came here for; Dallas Cowboys centered Fantasy Football information. I’ll offer you a breakdown of the matchup for your and my wide receivers.
Make sure you go to InsideTheStar.com to get the breakdowns on all the important match ups for the coming week.
Your Cowboys Wide Receivers
Dez Bryant
Over the last four games against the New York Giants for Dez Bryant, he posted 30 receptions for 371 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Dez Bryant is one of the greats. He draws double coverage or safety help to his side on a regular basis because he can beat you all over the field. If he catches it short, he has the quickness and strength to break tackles. He can use his physicality to beat his man in press coverage and go deep. Bryant also has the ability to go up and get the ball when thrown high.
Dez Bryant doesn’t put up the numbers that some of his peers do simply because he doesn’t see the same amount of targets guys like Julio Jones and Antonio Brown do.
https://twitter.com/chaselabsports/status/765204319499067392
Touchdowns are always difficult to extrapolate, but what this does show is what Dez Bryant’s reception and yardage totals would look like with 190+ targets in a season. Bryant has never received more than 159 targets in a season. In 2014, the run heavy season, Bryant saw 136 targets (11 targets/game).
If the Cowboys are going to go run heavy — like we think they are — and with Dak Prescott making his first NFL start, I’d expect Dez Bryant to see 8-10 targets. Prescott showed that he was willing to throw it to Bryant and let him make a play.
While the New York Giants used free agent and draft capital on Janoris Jenkins (signed from Los Angeles) and Eli Apple (1st round draft choice), many in Cowboys Nation don’t necessarily see those moves as an upgrade.
Dez Bryant is an every week starter. If you are having any doubts, don’t. Just play him.
Terrance Williams
Terrance Williams is going into a contract season and the reports out of training camp were nothing but positive.
As RJ Ochoa notes here, Williams is on a mission.
In 2015 Terrance Williams struggled without Dez Bryant drawing coverage away. He did post a career high in targets (93), yards (840) and catches (52), but his touchdown numbers were down (3). Some of that could be due to the poor quarterback play that he received, but some of that is also on the player.
All that said, with a healthy Bryant, I would consider using him in your flex spot in 12 team or bigger leagues. He has the ability to have big games like he did in the finale of 2015 (8 catches for 173 yards on 9 targets) and week 5 in 2013 against Denver (4 catches for 151 yards, and 1 touchdown on 4 targets).
In standard 12 team or more leagues, Williams offers good value in your flex spot.
Cole Beasley
The diminutive slot man out of Southern Methodist University, Cole Beasley has some value to your fantasy team. With defenses focused on Bryant, Williams, and Jason Witten, Beasley has a chance to be productive in your PPR (points per reception) leagues.
2015 was a career year for Beasley in targets (75), receptions (52), yards (536), and touchdowns (5). He caught nearly 70% of all passes thrown his way. With each passing season, Beasley becomes an even more savvy route runner and more dependable target for the quarterback.
If the New York Giants dial-up the blitz and put pressure on rookie Dak Prescott, I could see Beasley becoming the top target so he can get the ball out quick.
In 12 team PPR leagues or greater, Beasley can offer solid value in your Flex spot.
One to Start
Corey Coleman
Typically, I wouldn’t think of starting a rookie Wide Receiver in his first career start, but Corey Coleman makes a lot of sense against the Philadelphia Eagles.
At the combine, Corey Coleman was lauded as the most athletic wide receiver in the class. While some had Laquon Treadwell as the top wide receiver in the class, others, like Pro Football Focus had Coleman.
In his Baylor career, he averaged 17.4 YPC and had 11 and 20 touchdowns in 2014 and 2015, respectively. He is a perfect fit for Robert Griffin III’s downfield ability.
Aside from its front four, the Philadelphia Eagles defense can be scored on. The Cleveland Browns offense is going to throw the ball to open up the run.
On average in 2015, the Philadelphia Eagles allowed just over 250 passing yards per game and 2 touchdowns. With Josh Gordon sitting out with a suspension, Corey Coleman is going to get a chance to make an immediate impact.
Flawless Fantasy Forecast: 6 receptions, 120 yards, and 1 touchdown.
One to Sit
Demaryius Thomas
Gone is Peyton Manning. And before you scoff, realize that even with bad Peyton Manning in 2015, Demaryius Thomas caught more than 100 passes for the 2nd straight year and more than 90 passes for the fourth year in a row.
Enter Trevor Siemian making his first start in the NFL against a top five defense. Uh oh!
The Denver Broncos want to be a running team under Gary Kubiak. When Peyton Manning was out weeks 10-16, the Denver Broncos became a much more effective and balanced team as they began to run more plays from under center.
With the retirement of Peyton, the Denver coaching staff will make the offense look very similar to what it did under Brock Osweiler. Run, run, and run some more. That’s what Kubiak did in Houston and Baltimore before taking the reins in Denver.
In the Super Bowl against the Carolina Panthers, Thomas only had one reception for eight yards on six targets. He won’t get locked down like that, but he isn’t going to have a big game either.
Flawless Fantasy Forecast: 4 receptions, 53 yards, 0 touchdowns.
The Rankings
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