Should You Still Trust Dak Prescott as a Dynasty Option?
It’s been a rough stretch if you’re a fan of the Dallas Cowboys. While the team remains in contention for the NFC East division, they’ve ended up losing seven of their last ten games after a 3-0 start and are currently sitting at 6-7. Much of the blame has been passed onto head coach Jason Garrett, whose conservative decision-making has been said to have cost the team countless games they could’ve ended up winning.
One glaring statistic against the Cowboys has been made obvious but is worth addressing: The team is 0-6 against winning teams in 2019. This includes Thursday Night’s loss to the Bears, which made Chicago 7-6 on the season. The team’s three-game losing streak has also made things hard on quarterback Dak Prescott, who is in a contract year.
In the first ten games of the season, Prescott was in consideration for MVP, completing over 67 percent of his passes for 3,221 yards (322.1 yards per game), 21 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a passer rating of 104.1. He was especially a rich acquisition for those in fantasy and dynasty league, constantly putting up points in Kellen Moore’s offensive scheme.
In his last three games, however, Prescott’s consistency has fallen off to a degree, resembling the level of play he had in the much-maligned second half of his 2017 season (1,506 yards in eight games, six TDs, nine INTs, 74.0 passer rating). In said stretch, Prescott’s statistics haven’t been quite as bad, but the touchdown numbers have fallen off (59.54 completion percentage for 901 yards, three TDs, two INTs, and an 81.6 passer rating). However, his yards per game (while aided to an extent my garbage time) remains high, as he’s passed for 300.3 yards per game on this three-game stretch (this season alone he’s passed for a career-high 317.1 yards per game!)
In addition, Prescott has already set a career high for passing yards (4,122) and touchdowns (24). Still, this slump has many concerned about his future in Dallas, and whether or not the team will actually give him the franchise tag, a full-blown extension, or truly let him walk and find another team. So letting this marinate, is it wise to hang onto Prescott as a dynasty quarterback?
Ultimately, I’m going to say yes. To an extent, I feel Prescott has been overly criticized because he plays quarterback for the Cowboys. Since his fourth-round selection in 2016, he’s been consistently successful, and has helped lead the team to winning records in each of his first three seasons in the NFL. Granted, I don’t think his level of play is as high as say Tony Romo’s was during his days in Dallas, but Prescott is a unique playmaker in his own way. His mobility is well above average, helping him create many plays outside structure.
In addition, Prescott’s arm talent is impressive for a former day two pick, so he’s able to have a good rip on the ball from time to time. As far as contract negotiations go, I would unironically give him an extension if I were the Cowboys. I do believe he’s a top-15 quarterback capable of consistently taking a team to the postseason. The issue is I don’t think his offensive line has been as good as people have made it out to be (allowing a significantly higher amount of QB hits than sacks can do that), and of course, I’ve made my issues clear with the play calling and Jason Garrett’s conservative coaching decisions.
Meanwhile as a dynasty option, I’d recommend continuing to hold onto Prescott for the time being. He’s been an extremely reliable QB in fantasy/dynasty leagues this season, I should know as an owner. His continued connection with Amari Cooper has allowed the duo to shine in fantasy leagues, and it’s no coincidence that both players remain without contract extensions from the Cowboys.
Not to get too off topic, but I feel extending Ezekiel Elliot before Prescott or Cooper was a massive oversight by the Cowboys. Now both players could enter the new decade as free agents, which could affect their dynasty value. Depending on where he goes in 2020, Prescott may or may not do as well depending on the quality of the supporting cast he joins, so I suppose that remains a concern for those invest in him in dynasty.
With this in mind, regardless of whether Prescott walks, gets franchise tagged, or ultimately extended, I say to continue investing in him for the rest of the 2019 season, and putting your trust in him going into 2020 as well. I guess that should tell you that I think he’ll remain in Dallas, but at the same time, I trust him more than most when it comes to being a reliable dynasty option. I guess this is different from trusting him to be the Cowboys quarterback going forward, but remain faithful, Prescott owners.
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