Dynasty Capsule: Dallas Cowboys

Ken Kelly Posted On March 4, 2013

As part of the premium content package, we’re again unveiling dynasty capsules for every team in the NFL leading up to free agency and the NFL Draft. This year, we’re also going to do a follow-up on all the teams after all the free agency and NFL Draft movement to assess the impact of any players teams have gained or lost. Since these capsules are always done as a simple snapshot in time, we figured that was the best way to tackle the off-season and provide ultimate value for our subscribers. All in all, we’ll have close to 500 player profiles found in these capsules over the off-season.

We continue our path through the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys.

Quarterbacks

Tony Romo

While far from the sexiest pick in dynasty leagues, Romo has been relatively effective and fairly consistent from a total points perspective as he’s finished as the QB8 in standard leagues in each of the past two years. While not truly an elite option, he can still lead a championship team in dynasty leagues as a QB1 as long as you have a very strong supporting cast. For all the negative talk about Romo and his failing under pressure (though he has merited much of that criticism), he’s still posted great numbers as indicated by his career high of 4,903 passing yards to go along with 28 touchdown passes last season. The trouble with Romo is usually the untimely turnover – he had 19 interceptions last year, which also tied his career high.

Romo finds himself in a bit of dynasty purgatory at the moment. He’ll be 33 at the beginning of the season and the Cowboys are beginning to get impatient with their lack of recent success. With weapons like Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and a healthy (hopefully) DeMarco Murray, Romo is set up for yet another banner season in Dallas, just don’t get your hopes up too high – Romo is best served as a high-end QB2 than a franchise defining QB1. There is always talk about Dallas moving in a different direction, but where would they really go? They’re good enough to avoid a really high draft choice and there are few players who can post numbers like Romo can. His fourth quarter and big game performances have been sketchy at best, but the Cowboys wouldn’t even be in those games without him.

Kyle Orton

There was a time when Orton was a valuable commodity in dynasty leagues. After all, he had a pretty solid couple of seasons in Denver. Many expected him to land a starting job last year, but he opted for Dallas where he had no chance in competing for the QB1 gig. At 30 years of age, the chances of Orton getting a starting role in the future seem to have passed him by. He’d have value if Romo was injured or fell flat on his face at the beginning of a season, but if you’re forced to “handcuff” Orton to Romo due to your quarterbacks on your depth chart, you have a pretty serious depth problem. He belongs on the waiver wire in virtually every dynasty format.

Running Backs

DeMarco Murray

Murray became a household name in even the most casual fantasy football player’s home back in October of 2011 when he erupted for 253 yards and a touchdown on just 25 carries against the St. Louis Rams in a week six win. Since that eventful day in October, Murray has shown both flashes of that ability and the propensity to get hurt. In fact, Murray has just three 100 yard games since that monster day and didn’t break 100 yards in any of his last nine games last season, hitting the century mark in just one of his last fourteen contests overall. He’s also played in just 23 of a possible 32 career games.

So, now what?

It’s another year of hope for owners of Murray. He’s an extremely talented back who has averaged 4.8 yards per carry with 1,560 rushing yards and six touchdowns over his 23 games played. If he can stay healthy, there’s little doubt he can put up RB1 numbers (especially in PPR leagues) and help lead a team to the promised land. However, history has shown us Murray simply can’t stay upright over an extended period of time. Perhaps 2013 is the year. If so, owners are going to be overjoyed, then left with the question of if they should sell high on him next off-season.

Felix Jones

Remember when running backs Felix Jones, Darren McFadden and Peyton Hillis all came out of Arkansas in the 2008 NFL Draft? The crazy thing is that at a given point over the last five years, you could say definitively that each of those three players was the best of the bunch. Jones looked explosive early in his career, McFadden blossomed later, then fizzled some and Hillis had a monster year for the Browns after being traded by the Broncos for Brady Quinn.

As for Jones, he’s a free agent and unlikely to return to Dallas. On paper, his last year looks solid from a health standpoint as he played in all sixteen games, but he also battled two sore knees and a shoulder issue, only giving more validity to his unfortunate nickname of “Fragile Felix.” Injuries have zapped much of his explosiveness as he averaged a career low 3.5 yards per carry last season. While still just 25 years old, the future is murky at best for him.

Lance Dunbar and Phillip Tanner

Unless the Cowboys draft a running back this year, Lance Dunbar and Phillip Tanner should battle for the role of DeMarco Murray’s backup. With Murray’s inability to stay healthy, that could be a job worth winning for sure. However, some water has been thrown on this fire recently as Cowboys VP Stephen Jones recently said he doesn’t see either as not just a number one running back, but a number two running back, either. While this could be a bit of a smokescreen to hide their interest in the draft or free agency, the Cowboys will most certainly be a team to watch over the next few months. It seems unlikley they go into 2013 with a trio of Murray, Dunbar and Tanner without adding somebody back in the mix.

Wide Receivers

Dez Bryant

The light finally came on for Bryant late last year and boy, did it shine brightly. From weeks 11 through 16, Bryant was the WR1 in all of fantasy leagues. For the year, he caught 92 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns, including an amazing stretch where he scored a touchdown in seven straight games. After not having a single 100 yard game in his career, Bryant posted five of them last year, including a 224 yard eruption against the Saints in week 15 where he simply looked impossible to defend.

There will always be risk associated with Bryant based on his tendency to make foolish personal decisions, but most reports say he’s really doing his best to behave at the moment. After improving in each and every statistical receiving category in each of his three seasons, Bryant is one of only a handful of candidates who could realistically lead the way in terms of wide receiver scoring in dynasty leagues next year. At just 24 years of age, the sky is truly the limit. Bryant’s currently being drafted as the WR5 according to our recent ADP information, behind the likes of Calvin Johnson, AJ Green, Julio Jones and Demaryius Thomas being taken on average as as the fifteenth overall player. While some may feel his performance last season was a fluke, those who don’t and take him that highly may actually be getting a bargain.

Miles Austin

Austin is back in Dallas after restructuring his deal to remain a Cowboy. However, his value has simply tanked after yet another injury plagued campaign. Though he didn’t miss any games, he seems to be constantly limited with hamstring or lower leg injuries. He’s being taken on average as the WR41 according to our recent ADP information – that’s somewhere between the seventh and eighth rounds, behind players like James Jones, TY Hilton, Kendall Wright, Danario Alexander and even rookies like Keenan Allen and Cordarelle Patterson. The draft position doesn’t match his talent level, but does seem to match his injury risk.

When on the field, Austin can be a difference maker in both reality and fantasy. He’s only missed eight games in six years, but we’ve also seen him at less than 100% far too often. If Austin can get himself together, he’s a buy low target and bargain in start up dynasty drafts. If he can’t, he’s, well, the WR41.

Dwayne Harris

Harris was strictly a return man in his first season, but started to break out a bit towards the end of last season, his second in the league. He caught all 17 of his passes in the final seven games, while averaging a healthy 13.1 yards per catch and posting a total of 222 receiving yards with one touchdown. He’s been talked up as of late as being a player the Cowboys are high on, but with Austin’s restructured deal, it’s pretty tough to get too excited about him. He’ll get you some return yardage and perhaps a catch or two each game, but that’s pretty much the ceiling you have even if he is the third receiver on the depth chart when the season opens. Remember, he has to battle not only Dez Bryant and Miles Austin for targets, but he also has to contend with Jason Witten as well.

Kevin Ogletree

Fantasy players all across the country went nuts for Ogletree after he posted eight catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants on opening night. We warned people not to get too excited, but some didn’t listen. The rest of his season yielded just 322 more receiving yards and two more scores, putting him right up there with Frisman Jackson as a receiver who posted a monster opening game, then flamed out and burned owners who used their bidding dollars or waiver priority on him. The Cowboys have been high on Ogletree before, but his spotty performances leave a lot to be desired. He’ll likely depart from Dallas this off-season.

Cole Beasley

With Ogletree likely out of the picture, Beasley could actually find himself some value playing the slot in Dallas. As a rookie, he caught just 15 passes for 128 yards last season. However, he’s said to be a hard worker and seems to be a prototypical slot receiver. With the receiving corps in flux a bit, keep an eye on Beasley throughout the off-season.

Tight Ends

Jason Witten

Some players simply get better with age and Witten may just be the poster child for that very idea. He had a spectacular 2012 that featured a career high 103 receptions for 983 yards and two touchdowns. While the touchdowns are certainly a bit of a concern, Witten was simply a beast in PPR leagues, finishing the year as the TE3 behind only Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez.

Witten has restructured his deal with Dallas and is now under contract until 2017. While it’s unlikely he’ll make it that far (he’d be 37 at that point), it’s hard to completely dismiss that thought, either. While not as glamorous as Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski, he has proven to be as reliable and consistent a TE1 ever could be. For a contender, Witten is a great player to have. If you’re a rebuilding team, this is likely the time to move him and get something relevant in return.

John Phillips

If he’s on your roster, you have some problems. Simply put, it’s highly unlikely the future TE1 for Dallas is on the roster at the moment.

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Ken Kelly

Co-Founder at DynastyLeagueFootball

Ken is a corporate trainer by day an a tireless editor of dynasty content by night. His passion for the World Champion Seattle Seahawks is second only to his love of fantasy football and the dynasty format.

Ken is on Twitter at DLF_KenK