Mixed results for Cowboys in fantasy football

Sunday night’s “Massacre In The Meadowlands” was outstanding for the Dallas Cowboys overall. A dominating win in the season-opener over a division rival.

No serious injuries. No question marks raised.

Couldn’t ask for anything more. But for fantasy football owners with Cowboys on the roster it was a mixed bag.

Pollard Leads The Offense

The way the defense was scoring touchdowns, the Cowboys’ offense really didn’t need to do much other than stay out of the way.

Running back Tony Pollard was the top scorer on the offense. With 70 yards rushing, 12 receiving, and two rushing touchdowns, Pollard put up the points.

Tony Pollard (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Add in his two receptions in PPR leagues and you did well with him as one of your starters.

CeeDee Lamb was the top receiver with four catches and 77 yards, putting him in double digits in PPR leagues.

KaVontae Turpin might be a player to keep any eye on for future waiver wire moves. He caught two passes for 11 yards, added 14 yards rushing and scored a touchdown.

Add in his work on special teams and Turpin could put up some important points down the line.

Unfortunately, playing with a big lead early – plus the wet ball and his tight ends with hands of stone – Dak Prescott didn’t do fantasy owners any favors.

No touchdowns and only 143 yards passing — with just six yards rushing — don’t add up to many points in fantasy football.

Defense Runs Up The Score

The three leagues I’m in have similar scoring setups. In those leagues, the Cowboys defense rang up 52.5 points on Sunday night.

Sadly, by the time I joined these leagues the Cowboys’ defense had been taken. As they are keeper leagues, no one is giving up Dallas’ defense right now.

Dallas Cowboys’ DaRon Bland, left, reacts as he scores after intercepting the pass intended for New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

In the ultimate “C’mon, man” moment in one of the leagues, the owner didn’t start the Cowboys. Yes, that owner lost his game.

Don’t repeat his mistake during any week unless it’s the Cowboys’ bye week in Week 7. This defense is going to score fantasy points like you’ve never seen.

In IDP leagues the Cowboys’ defensive line and defensive backs are going to be points machines. If any are on the waiver wire, grab them now.

Aaron Rodgers Owners, I Feel You

If you started the season with Aaron Rodgers on your roster, I feel your pain today. I had Rodgers on one of my three teams.

Fortunately, he was drafted as a backup to Patrick Mahomes because I preferred Rodgers’ matchup on Mahomes’ bye week.

Also, it seems like at least twice a year, Rodgers would go off for 30 touchdowns and a 1,000 yards on the weeks he played against my team.

He’s on IR now, so that isn’t happening this year. But I, like all of you, am hitting the waiver wire this week for his replacement.

In my case, the three available starting quarterbacks that don’t share the same bye week as Mahomes are: Kenny Pickett, Brock Purdy, and Baker Mayfield.

I’m praying for the continued good health of one Patrick Mahomes every hour on the hour.

The Trade Judge Is In

Hey, if you have a trade you’re considering, or if there’s been a trade in your league that has you seeing red, let me know about it.

I’ll sift through the e-mails and try to find some of the best – or the absolute worst – trades and let you know what I think.

Send the details to me at this e-mail address: fantasytradejudge@yahoo.com.

I used to write for a fantasy football site back in the before times and we set up a Trade Court. It was a lot of fun and proved to be somewhat informative.

Can I Get A Do-Over?

Speaking of massacres, my three teams pulled a New York Giants and failed to show up in Week 1.

After taking over all three teams as orphans to begin last year, I got all three into the playoffs. One even made it to the championship game.

So an 0-3 start was not what I envisioned for this season. The good news is that even if I had started a perfect lineup, I still wouldn’t have won a single game.

Jason Garrett claps encouragement after an 0-3 start.

Sometimes you get the bear. Sometimes the bear gets you.

Well played, bear. Well played.

The Records:

Scribe’s Penmen 0-1

Grim Reapers 0-1

Pigskin Fiction 0-1