Getty Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys throws passes during pregame warm ups prior to the start of an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on August 10, 2019 in Santa Clara, California.
Dak Prescott is currently projected by the Fantasy Football Calculator as a mid-to-late round pick in their draft averages. Specifically, the Cowboys quarterback averages out as the 138th overall selection, or the middle of the 12th round.
There are many that are reading the tea leaves within the Dallas organization, as well as Prescott’s prior successes under center, that call the 26-year-old wildly underrated. USA Today released their all-sleepers team and placed Prescott at No. 1.
Major upgrade among pass-catchers in his fourth year. Dallas’ offensive line improves with healthy return of Travis Frederick.
These additions, outside of Amari Cooper at midseason last year, include Allen Hurns, Randall Cobb and future Hall of Famer Jason Witten at tight end. There are doubts there, as Hurns and Cobb combined for just over 600 yards receiving last year and Witten spent last fall in the Monday Night Football booth.
However, Action Network also points out that over the last three seasons, Prescott “is one of only three quarterbacks to work as a top-10 fantasy football QB” in each year. Logically, he’s had less to work with the last three seasons, but has still thrived in terms of fantasy value.
The real boon to his value comes with Cooper, who rejuvenated the Dallas passing attack after his trade from Oakland. According to CBS Sports:
Prescott turned around his Fantasy fortunes in 2018 once the Cowboys acquired Amari Cooper, averaging 21.5 Fantasy points per game including four with more than 22 points over nine outings.
Over the last half of the season, Prescott eclipsed 30 fantasy points three times, including a 41-point outburst in the regular-season finale against the rival Giants. Overall, he recorded a career-high 3,885 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and just eight interceptions last season.
His legs also chip into his point production. He has tallied over 300 rushing yards in each of the last two seasons, as well as six touchdowns in each of the last three.
Jerry Jones Seems to Value Prescott More Than Ezekiel Elliott
One factor to consider is that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seems to value Prescott more than star running back Ezekiel Elliott. He made this point crystal clear at the start of training camp when Elliott started his contract holdout.
“Of course, (Hall of Fame back) Emmitt (Smith) had participated in a Super Bowl, being the first rushing champ — this is very important — first time ever a rushing champion was on a Super Bowl-winning team,” Jones told KTVT-TV in Dallas back in July. “The point there is, you don’t have to have a rushing champion to win a Super Bowl.”
Elliott was the NFL rushing champion last season with 1,434 yards. With little work done on the contract front over the last month, Jones seems content to let Prescott wing the ball this season.
Analysts such as Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd agree with Jones’ tactic, as Prescott and the Cowboys improved last season due to the infusion of Cooper into the passing game.
“Before they landed Amari Cooper, Dak was 3-4. After, 7-2,” Cowherd said. “He completed 62 (percent of his passes) before Amari Cooper. 71 (percent) after. Eight touchdowns, four interceptions before Amari Cooper. 14 touchdowns, four interceptions after.”
There are three pieces to why you should draft Prescott. One, he’s performed well over his whole career. Two, he has new bullets in his chamber. Three, he has the trust of management.
This lines up for a 4,000-yard plus season in Dallas, and a successful fantasy starter.
