The Dallas Cowboys' offensive woes aren't just limited to the field of play. They aren't faring well in fantasy football either.
In 2022, the Cowboys were the top team in the NFL in red zone touchdowns at 71.43%.
Six games into 2023 and they rank 26th at 39.13%.
Last year Dallas had 28 passing touchdowns and 24 rushing touchdowns. In 2023 they have six passing and five rushing touchdowns.
The defense has four. At the current pace, the Cowboys will finish with just 18 passing and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Last year Dallas players were almost automatic starts.
This year, aside from Brandon Aubrey, fantasy owners are looking for alternatives.
So what happened?
Committed To The Run
Head Coach Mike McCarthy wants to run the ball and control the clock, saving his defense from wearing out in the fourth quarter.
It is a sound strategy. But it requires that Dallas be able to move the chains.
Right now, the running game isn't getting that done.
For most of Monday night, the Cowboys would run two running plays for two to four yards total. Then they'd be forced to pass on 3rd-and-medium or longer.
That isn't a winning formula.
But when Dallas started a drive by throwing the ball, they tended to move into scoring position.
I like the commitment to run the ball more. But Dallas has to be smarter about it.
Prescott should check out of the run when the defense is clearly stacking the box a lot more than he has so far.
Hit a few passes for first downs earlier in the series and those running lanes will start opening up. That's when Tony Pollard can go to work.
That will also make the Cowboys' fantasy numbers soar too.
By The Numbers
Using my fantasy leagues' scoring – it's pretty much a standard PPR scoring format – the Cowboys' defense is the team's top fantasy points producer.
Ouch.
Prescott (32.60) had his best scoring game of the year on Monday night. The 22-yard touchdown run helped move him into the Top 20 among quarterbacks.
Pollard needed that 60-yard catch and run to reach double-digits (13.75) for the first time in three games.
He remains in the Top 15 among running backs, barely, for the season.
Despite not hauling in a touchdown, CeeDee Lamb (23.00) had his second best week of the season.
Brandin Cooks got 13.45 points – doubling his season total for the first five games. Look for Cooks to continue the trend going forward.
The Cowboys' tight ends are non-existent when it comes to fantasy football so far. Brandon Aubrey (9.00 last week) is the fifth-best kicker in fantasy football so far this year.
The aforementioned Cowboys' defense was just 19th for the week but remain the top scoring defense in fantasy football.
Trade Judge Goes Fishing
The trade judge has decided to go to the lake and fish since he can't seem to catch a case.
Bailiff Bubba J. Bonecrusher is moonlighting as Taylor Swift's bodyguard at Kansas City Chiefs' games.
We need some trades to judge peeps. It's getting a little chippy in the courtroom.
So send something to me at this e-mail address: fantasytradejudge@yahoo.com.
We aren't picky either.
That's More Like It
I told you my GM was on the hot seat. Since he knows he doesn't work for Jerry Jones, he got the message.
My teams rolled out a nice 3-0 week for me.
Jobs were saved. Sanity restored.
And Scribe's Penman are riding a three-game winning streak — .5 games out of first – and are the league's top scoring team.
Yeah, to quote Coach Prime, we comin'.
And don't sleep on the Grim Reapers either. They're only two games back with a long way to go.
The Pigskin Fiction situation?
How about that Caleb Williams' kid, eh? He'll look mighty good in one of our uniforms next year.
I hope you all have a great week of fantasy football this weekend.
The Records:
Scribe's Penmen 3-4
Grim Reapers 2-4
Pigskin Fiction 1-6
All-Time regular season record (since 1989 – and yes, I keep track of such things): 614-490-7 (.556).
I've got 26 division titles and 12 league championships under my belt. What? You think I only religiously keep track of records for the Cowboys?
