FOX Sports has more analysis of the Cowboys from a fantasy football perspective. They've made projections of the Top 15 players in 5 different fantasy stats. Below are the Cowboys who made the list and where they are projected among the Top 15 leaders in ecah category.
Receiving TD's:
Bold. Brash. Controversial. Call him whatever you like, just don't forget to give a nod to Owens' aptitude as a football player. Assuming an average return from Owens this season, he'll rise into the Top 10 all-time in touchdowns scored. Of course, that assumes that he and coach Parcells get along for a full season. I believe we'll see Owens make nice this season to bring attention back to his abilities on the field and attempt to leave the other stories in the past. Owens has ranked in the Top 10 in receiving touchdowns on seven occasions in his career and has led the category twice. I'm looking for him to make the hat trick with frequent connections with Drew Bledsoe.
2005 Stats: tied for 26th in the NFL with 6 touchdowns
2006 Projection: 15 touchdowns
Eldorado is projected at #1, and it's a good call, the guy is a stud on the field. But Terry Glenn might sneak in with a quite a few TD's, making Eldorado fall to Top 5 status.
Passing yards:
The Cowboys made perhaps the biggest splash this off-season by bringing Terrell Owens in from Philadelphia. With Owens onboard and Terry Glenn and Jason Witten returning in the receiving corps, Bledsoe expects to be among the league's top passers once again. Bledsoe posted his best average yardage per pass play total since 1999 in New England at 7.3 yards. He'll enjoy throwing the short and intermediate routes to Owens and watching him make plays. Meanwhile, Terry Glenn will be lining up teams' second defensive backs in single coverage. I like those odds.
2005 Stats: 8th in NFL with 3,639 yards
2006 Projections: 3,825 yards
If Drew is upright for most of the season, there's no reason he can't have a huge statistical year.
Passing TD's:
Bledsoe enjoyed a fine season in his first year under Bill Parcells in Dallas. Their reunion resulted in Bledsoe's seventh appearance in the NFL's Top 10 in touchdown passes in his 13-year career. Bledsoe received a huge boost to his receiving corps with the addition of the much-maligned Terrell Owens. Owens' addition opens the field for tight ends Jason Witten and Anthony Fasano, and will put Terry Glenn in advantageous one-on-one situations. I look for Bledsoe and the Cowboys to produce points this year and for this to be a honeymoon season with Owens, much like that enjoyed by Philadelphia in 2004.
2005 Stats: Tied for eighth in the NFL with 23 TDs
2006 Projection: 26 TDs
Last week I ran an over/under on Drew Bledsoe's TD total for the season and put the line at 25 TD's. FOX Sports is taking the over with 26 TD's.
Rushing yards:
Jones taunts you with his explosiveness. Unfortunately, the third-year back out of Notre Dame has battled injuries for two straight seasons and missed 11 games. He has the goods to be one of the game's top backs, if only he can stay on the field. Bill Parcells wants to run the offense through him, and the addition of Terrell Owens will most certainly spread the field to create running room. This will be his best, and perhaps last, shot to become an upper tier back for Parcells in Dallas. Another injury or string of sub-par performances will open the door for backup Marion Barber.
2005 Stats: 17th in NFL with 993 rushing yards
2006 Projection: 1,179 yards
A while back I ran the over/under on JJ and made the line 1,200 yards. FOX Sports is taking the under by just a smidge.
Rushing TD's:
Jones ranked among the biggest disappointments in 2005, watching backup Marion Barber rush to as many rushing touchdowns in limited work. He has certainly flashed the talent to be among the game's best backs, but injury concerns persist. Jones has missed 11 games in his first two years of action. Bill Parcells would like to establish the power ground game with Jones as the focus, but he'll need to show dedication and toughness to maintain the role. I believe he's in the perfect spot this season to elevate his game with the addition of Terrell Owens. The added attention on the passing game will free up running room and give Jones a chance to shine on the star in Big D.
2005 Stats: Tied for 22nd in NFL with 5 rushing touchdowns
2006 Projection: 9 rushing touchdowns