Dak Prescott, the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, sustained an injury to his throwing hand in Sunday’s season-opening defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and may need surgery.
Prescott will be out for a while due to this injury, and the Cowboys will have a hard time finding a suitable replacement for him in the playing lineup.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters after his team lost (19-3) that quarterback Dak Prescott will be out for a long period.
According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the Cowboys are expected to place Prescott on injured reserve by the end of the week because of the lengthy six-to-eight-week recuperation time.
Dak Prescott’s Injury Affects Cowboys’ Offense
In the fourth quarter, Prescott was hurt after Buccaneer’s pass rusher Shaquil Barrett smacked the quarterback’s hand on the way to the ground after a throw. It has been decided that he needs surgery on a joint in his thumb.
After Prescott was hurt, his longtime backup Cooper Rush came in right away. Keep in mind that Prescott had serious trouble even before he hurt his thumb. He was only able to throw for 134 yards and one pick-off on 14 of 29 attempts.
Under Prescott’s direction, the Cowboys offense managed just one touchdown and never entered the end zone. Many major injuries have plagued Dallas in recent weeks, but Prescott’s illness stands out above the rest.
However, the offensive line needs improvement and the wide receivers are a mess. Things are certain to worsen now that Prescott is out of action. To compensate for the loss of Rush, Will Grier, or anybody else the Cowboys may want in a trade or free agency.
Players like CeeDee Lamb, Ezekiel Elliott, and Tony Pollard will have to step up. Even if the Cowboys are able to find a suitable replacement for Prescott, their offense may go through an even worse patch.
What May Happen In Fantasy Football If Dak Prescott Doesn’t Play?
Week 1 emergency glass-breaking is the worst. Unfortunately, Prescott needs thumb surgery. Rush will try his best, but every Cowboys fantasy asset has lost value and potential. We’ve seen this before, but conditions are different.
Dallas’ bad defense in 2020 pushed Prescott to perform like an MVP. Amari Cooper averaged 21.3 PPR the first four weeks. Michael Gallup was WR33 and Lamb WR16 (16.3 PPR) (11.6).
Cooper’s weekly score dropped 37%, Lamb 27%, and Gallup 10% for the remainder of the season. Dallas has fewer mouths to feed, therefore the effect won’t be as bad. Only Lamb is active, therefore there is target funneling.
Sunday against the Bucs, he scored 11. It’s hardly surprising that target quality will diminish. Lamb won’t be a WR1 until Prescott returns. Rush should get his share if the Cowboys’ offensive line keeps him upright.
Lamb caught six catches for 112 yards in Rush’s replacement game against the Rams. Dalton Schultz is my player. Schultz, a 100-target prospect, led the team with seven catches Sunday.
Schultz must be a mid-round bargain given how bad TE is this year. Schultz may be least affected by Prescott’s injury as a steady over-the-middle target.
I anticipate increased dependence on the running game, with Elliott and Pollard relieving Rush. Stacking boxes and having a narrow OL depth chart may be neutral if they suffer with efficiency.
Are Cowboys’ Odds Better or Worse Without Prescott?
A challenging schedule and the rising Eagles prompted us to suggest betting against the Cowboys in late August. Elliott’s workload and offensive line issues didn’t help. Instead, we picked Philadelphia despite their lower chances.
While injuries like Prescott’s can never be expected, the team’s lack of QB depth exacerbates an already difficult scenario for a club that won’t have its top quarterback against the Bengals, Rams, and Eagles. Best-case scenario: He returns to play Green Bay on the road. Not an ideal first game back.
Losing Prescott for almost half a season would hurt Lamb and secondary receivers Schultz and Gallup. Negative game scripts would hurt Elliott and Pollard, with Elliott requiring more receiving work to be aggressive. Dallas’ division title is suddenly a distant shot.
They’ll be lucky to enter the Packers game at 4-4 and will need to sweep Green Bay, Minnesota, Indianapolis, etc. to reach 11 or 12 victories. It’s possible, but mistakes are costly. In the NFC, 10 victories may not be enough to make the playoffs.
What Does Prescott’s Injury Mean For Dallas’ Plans For 2023 NFL Draft?
“It’s time to move on from Dak” Prescott can lead the Cowboys to important wins when healthy. Prescott is under contract through 2025, so his injury shouldn’t affect the NFL draft. Considering the depth chart behind Prescott, Dallas may want to pick a backup quarterback.
Rush, a veteran but unimpressive option, won’t keep the Cowboys competitive. Dallas may choose a mid-round quarterback next year and nurture them into a trustworthy safety blanket. They can prevent or reduce future precarity. Who may be drafted in 2023?
Jake Haener, Hendon Hooker, and Spencer Sanders stand out as mobile, gritty backups. Haener is the most accurate of the three. Sanders’ off-script ability, running prowess, and arm skill make him the finest buy-low bargain if he can kick his instability long term.
One Reply to “Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Prescott’s Injuries And Absence”