Dallas Cowboys Roster 2018 Cowboys Roster

Dallas has really taken a step back, and losing Dez Bryant will hurt despite him not being as productive as earlier years. Dak Prescott has lost two wide receivers this offseason. Brice Butler is now in Arizona, and of course Bryant is yet to be signed. They did add Allen Hurns, and still have guys like Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley, but this is not an enticing core. Dallas traded for Tavon Austin, and expect him to be a specialty player in the offense. Ezekiel Elliot is the best skill position player on the roster, and it is not particularly close. With Jason Witten retiring, we are looking at Rico Gathers and Dalton Schultz. In what should be a run heavy offense, it is hard to get excited about these guys. On the defensive side they have a few players worth noting, but overall this is a defense that should struggle at times.

Cowboys Back to form in 2018

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2017 season as potential Super Bowl contenders. However, the drama surrounding Ezekiel Elliot's suspension prevented the team from playing to their full potential. The team still won nine games last year to narrowly miss the playoffs despite playing without their star player for six games. Dallas will have their full team together in 2018, so they look poised to be serious contenders in the NFC again. The Dallas offense underwent a major overhaul in the offseason after losing Jason Witten and Dez Bryant. The Cowboys now have a lot of questions marks at the wide receiver and tight end positions. That would usually doom most teams in the passing-heavy NFL, but it should not hurt Dallas too much. The Cowboys are one of the few teams in the that relies on the rushing attack more than the passing game to score points. Ezekiel Elliot and the all-time great offensive line are the key components of this offense.

Since he no longer has to worry about a court case, Ezekiel Elliot will be a MVP-caliber player in 2018. He lost a little weight in the offseason, which has only made him a more dynamic player in training camp. The dominant rushing game will force the opposing defense to put extra players in the box. This will create easy throws for Dak Prescott as the receivers get open against one-on-one coverage. The Dallas defense played shocking well last year, and the unit should only improve in 2018. Rod Marinelli loves to keep his players fresh by constantly subbing out players. This allows the players on the field to give maximum effort on every play. This brilliant defense scheme helped turn DeMarcus Lawrence into one of the best pass rushers in the NFL last year.

The one player that never leaves the field on the Dallas defense is Sean Lee. Constantly swapping players has the potential to cause chaos, but Lee knows how to get everyone ready before the snap. Lee is the glue that holds the defense together. It also doesn't hurt that he is possibly the best middle linebacker in the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys have the most dominant rushing attack in the league and a very underrated defense. This makes them capable of beating any team at any time. Defeating the defending Super Bowl champions in the NFC East division will be tough, but Dallas certainly looks ready to return to the playoffs in 2018.

Fantasy Risers/Fallers

Allen Hurns showed flashes of brilliance in Jacksonville, but injuries and poor quarterback play prevented him from being a consistent contributor. The accurate passing of Dak Prescott should make Hurns a much more consistent player this year. Hurns is an excellent route runner that knows how to get open against difficult coverage. He also has a knack for finding the end zone, which is something the Cowboys desperately needs after losing Dez Bryant. Allen Hurns is an afterthought in most fantasy drafts, but he will become a reliable starter as he leads Dallas in receiving yards and touchdowns.

Rico Gathers was one of the most impressive players in the preseason last year thanks to his elite size and speed. He was even compared to a young Antonio Gates before getting hurt. Gathers gained weight in the offseason to improve his blocking, but early reports out of training camp suggest that the extra weight has sapped his elite quickness. Gathers looked poised to be the Dallas starting tight end early in the offseason, but it now looks like he will struggle to earn a spot on the roster.