Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

2021 record: 12-5

Notable coaching and system changes

There was more speculation than change to the Cowboys coaching staff in the offseason. There was speculation that Sean Payton could replace Mike McCarthy, but that didn’t happen … at least not yet. There was interest expressed from other teams in offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, but he’s back in Big D for another year. The only significant change is the arrival of wide receivers coach Robert Prince, who has ties to Moore at Boise State. It doesn’t look like much will change on the coaching staff.

Key free-agent additions

• WR James Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Key free-agent departures

• WR Amari Cooper (traded to Cleveland Browns)
• WR Cedrick Wilson (Miami Dolphins)

Key draft additions

• WR Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (3rd round)
• TE Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin (4th round)

Quarterback preview

The Cowboys made sure they kept franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, by giving him a four-year, $160 million contract last March to lock him down. However, he has had health concerns and inconsistency. Nobody is going to challenge for his job, but the team may need to upgrade at backup quarterback, because Cooper Rush is pedestrian, so the drop-off could be considerable if Prescott were to miss any significant time. Prescott will be a fantasy QB1, but he comes with some injury questions.

Running back preview

Ezekiel Elliott has created a Hall of Fame resume through his first six seasons in the league, and there was a time when he was viewed as the best running back in the game. However, Tony Pollard has not only cut deeply into Elliott’s time, he also proved to be the more effective back last season. Elliott led the team with 237 carries for 1,002 yards (4.2 YPC), but Pollard cut into his time with 130 carries for 719 yards (5.5-yard average).

Elliott is still viewed as an elite back, for better or worse, but the tea leaves don’t read well for him since Pollard’s time share has grown in each of his seasons … because he has earned playing time.

Zeke is more of an RB2 consolation pick rather than a locked-in No. 1 back, and Pollard is not only a must-handcuff but also a flex consideration in his own right.

Wide receiver preview

It was believed heading into the offseason that free agent Michael Gallup might be on his way out of Dallas as the No. 3 guy with the Cowboys (behind Cooper and CeeDee Lamb), but it was Cooper who was moved in a giveaway trade to the Cleveland Browns essentially for a fifth-round draft pick. With Wilson also leaving, Dallas needed to fill in depth and did so both in free agency and the draft.

James Washington showed flashes in Pittsburgh but fell down the depth chart as young players like Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson emerged. Tolbert will likely immediately be in the mix for playing time, because he has good size and strength to win contested passes, especially in the red zone.

Lamb will be the go-to target for Prescott, but inconsistent hands and constant double-teams make him a volatile No. 1 in fantasy.

Gallup re-signed but faces an uphill battle after tearing an ACL late last year. The first half of his season could be underwhelming, and he’s best treated as high-end roster depth with more upside later in the season.

As such, Washington figures to be more involved early in 2022 but should take a back seat once Gallup is at full strength and Tolbert starts to develop. The rookie is merely a late gamble in deeper leagues.

Tight end preview

When Jason Witten retired after a Hall of Fame career, the hand-groomed heir to the throne was supposed to be Blake Jarwin. However, when Jarwin was injured in 2020, Dalton Schultz stepped up and caught 63 passes for 615 yards and four touchdowns. He never gave up his spot in 2021, catching 78 passes for 808 yards and eight TDs. Dallas thought enough of him to place the franchise tag on him for 2022. If they can’t reach a long-term deal, the team drafted Jake Ferguson in the fourth round as an insurance policy following Jarwin’s departure in free agency.

Given the uncertainty behind Lamb at receiver, gamers can safely expect another strong TE1 campaign out of Schultz while leaving the rookie off rosters.

Sleeper/breakout candidates

Gallup was emerging as a big-play receiver in his first three seasons, averaging 15.6 yards per reception. He missed eight games last year due to injury, which keeps his stock down, but with Cooper no longer in the picture, he has the opportunity to take on a much bigger role in an explosive offense when fully healthy.

Bust potential/overvalued players

Elliott had a lot of wear and tear on his body in six seasons in Dallas. As noted above, Pollard has cut deeply into his playing time. The days of Elliott being a consistent 20-carry-a-game guy are dwindling, but he still has the name recognition and touchdown-scoring ability. He will be an overvalued player who will struggle to live up to the kind of weekly production the other elite running backs will produce on a consistent basis.

Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

2021 record: 4-13

Notable coaching and system changes

The Giants’ leadership from the top on down is new. General manager Dave Gettleman retired before he could be fired, and head coach Joe Judge was dismissed. They turned to a staff with explosive offensive experience, including head coach Brian Daboll, who was the offensive coordinator in Buffalo, and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, who comes from Kansas City where he was the passing game coordinator for the last two seasons. QB Daniel Jones has struggled with the revolving door of coaches, but with those two coaches having worked with Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, they come to the Giants with the ability to draw the best out of a young quarterback.

Key free-agent additions

• QB Tyrod Taylor (Houston Texans)
• RB Matt Breida (Buffalo Bills)
• TE Ricky Seals-Jones (Washington Commanders)

Key free-agent departures

• TE Evan Engram (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• RB Devontae Booker (released)
• TE Kyle Rudolph (released)

Key draft additions

• WR Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky (2nd round)
• TE Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State (4th round)

Quarterback preview

The key here is how Daniel Jones responds to a new coaching staff and a front-office decision to not exercise his fifth-year option. Furthermore, New York is paying Tyrod Taylor good money to be the backup if Jones struggles in returning from a neck injury that sidelined him last year.

Jones has been a polarizing prospect since the Giants surprised many by reaching for him with the sixth pick of the 2019 draft. This is a put-up-or-shut-up year for Jones, so there is little in the way of long-term stability. A QB2 showing may even be out of reach at this point, because Jones has no job stability whatsoever.

Running back preview

When a team makes a significant investment in a running back, there typically isn’t much cap room left for his backups. That’s what the Giants did when they drafted Saquon Barkley with the second pick in the 2018 draft. He is playing under his fifth-year option, and there are plenty of questions after missing almost all of 2020 with a torn ACL and having his 2021 season sabotaged by an ankle injury.

Depth is almost non-existent behind him with journeyman Matt Breida being the only veteran option with any experience. This position could get completely overhauled after the 2022 season if things don’t go well.

Seeing as the Giants didn’t take a running back in the draft, they’re rolling the dice on Barkley returning to form. Barkley likely still has RB1 potential because of his talent, but it’s far from assured he’ll live up to that status.

Wide receiver preview

The Giants spent huge money on free agent Kenny Golladay in 2021, but he caught just 37 passes for 521 yards and no touchdowns.

Last year’s first-round rookie Kadarius Toney quietly caught 39 passes for 420 yards, and conventional wisdom suggested he was going to push oft-injured Sterling Shepard out the door in the offseason. However, Shepard accepted a deep pay cut to stay with the team. Toney still could be on the move.

Darius Slayton has talent but drops way too many passes. Robinson was a bit of a reach in the second round, but for an undersized receiver, he can be a gadget weapon as a slot receiver and coming out of the backfield.

Golladay has WR2 potential, but at this point, it’s hard to view any of the Giants wide receivers beyond flex position players. Shepard is one to watch in PPR, provided he can stay healthy.

Tight end preview

Last year, the Giants thought they had one of the best one-two punches in the league at tight end with veterans Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph. A year later, both are gone and there are more questions than answers.

Veteran journeyman Ricky Seals-Jones comes over from Washington and is pegged to start, at least early on. Injuries are a concern, and he’s far from being the future at the position.

The team drafted Daniel Bellinger, but he is raw and will need to develop. There’s potential here for utility later in the season.

Competition for playing time is going to wide open in training camp because all of the experience from the past regime is gone. Nobody in this group has draftable value.

Sleeper/breakout candidates

Toney made an impact sporadically as a rookie on the road against some of the Giants’ toughest opponents (New Orleans, Dallas and Tampa Bay). As he enters his second season, the new coaching staff will find ways to get him the ball in space, which could help him live up to his first-round draft status at a bargain price. He’s unlikely to be traded, according to local-area media, but recognize there’s tremendous volatility here.

Bust potential/overvalued players

The rise and fall of running backs in the NFL is pronounced (just ask Todd Gurley). Barkley has come off two injury-plagued seasons but will likely still have first-round fantasy potential on draft boards despite this red flag. He didn’t look like the same player last season and, for the investment fantasy owners will have to make, he has too many questions surrounding his future to gamble on.

Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

2021 record: 9-8

Notable coaching and system changes

The Eagles cleared the decks of the Doug Pederson era following the 2020 season, and new head coach Nick Sirianni was given the unenviable task of rebuilding a franchise that essentially dismantled the core of the team the won the Super Bowl four years earlier. Sirianni and his staff did a solid job of building up the offense around a young quarterback and haven’t made significant changes heading into the second season of the new regime.

Key free-agent additions

• WR A.J. Brown (trade with Tennessee Titans)
• WR Zach Pascal (Indianapolis Colts)

Key free-agent departures

• RB Jordan Howard (unsigned)

Key draft additions

• TE Grant Calcaterra, SMU (6th round)

Quarterback preview

The Eagles are at a critical point with quarterback. He led all NFL QBs in rushing last season (784 yards) despite playing the last month with a significant ankle injury. Nobody questions his toughness, but he has yet to take his game to the next level in terms of reading a defense and identifying open receivers soon enough.

The addition of Brown is a huge statement to see what Hurts can do with an elite talent at wide receiver. Having Gardner Minshew as a veteran backup is a strong insurance policy if Hurts is injured or ineffective.

Hurts has solid QB1 potential after finishing 10th last year. Don’t automatically expect a monster season, however, as the team likes to run and he’s still developing.

Running back preview

Miles Sanders is an underrated player because he hasn’t been able to make it through a full season the last two years, missing nine games in that span with a variety of injuries. While his rushing attempts have dropped in each of his three seasons, his yards per carry have gone up each year. If he can stay healthy, he has the chance to be a difference-maker.

Boston Scott has been a solid backup and last season scored seven rushing touchdowns on just 87 attempts. Another player with upside is second-year man Kenny Gainwell, who emerged as the best receiving threat in the Eagles backfield.

While Sanders has the ability to be a dominant back, the offense seems to run more effectively with a committee that makes a star out of none of them.

Sanders is a strong RB2 option, but the competition in-house will make it difficult to push him into RB1 status, because Philly is at its best sharing the wealth in the backfield.

Wide receiver preview

The trade for A.J. Brown was a game-changer, because the offense has missed out on having a consistent one-two punch of big-play threats. Brown joins second-year man Devonta Smith, who posted solid numbers as a rookie (64-916-5). Quez Watkins has emerged as a bona fide vertical threat who can complement Brown and Smith, which will be needed because Jalen Reagor still has Eagles fans lamenting that the organization passed on Justin Jefferson in 2020.

Brown is a legitimate No. 1 talent and Smith is one of the better WR2 options, which will put a lot of pressure on Hurts to make the most of their respective talents. Hurts has a close personal relationship with Brown, but this also is a receiver with a history of knee injuries and durability concerns. He could prove to be overvalued in fantasy, so if you want him, realize it won’t be cheap.

Tight end preview

Last year, the Eagles broke up one of the most dynamic tight end tandems when the team sent Zach Ertz to Arizona at the trade deadline, leaving Dallas Goedert as the go-to guy, and he excelled when given the opportunity.

JJ Arcega-Whiteside has moved from receiver to tight end and presumably will be utilized seldomly as he learns the ropes.

It’s rare when a sixth-round draft pick gets the chance to make an early impact, but Calcaterra could be that guy. He doesn’t bring much value as a blocker, but he is the best route runner and pure athlete in this year’s draft class and will likely line up as a slot receiver more than as an in-line blocker. Expect him to battle for time with Arcega-Whiteside.

For the first time in his career, Goedert enters a season as a secure, weekly TE1 option, because he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder to see Ertz.

Sleeper/breakout candidates

Hurts has been a roller coaster of a player, who can produce huge plays but make the huge mistakes that kill a drive and lose a game.

With the additions the team has put around him the last two seasons, it’s a watershed moment for Hurts. If he takes his game up a notch with improved complementary talent, he can be in the top six or so fantasy QBs.

Bust potential/overvalued players

It’s hard to imagine waking up every day and seeing the advancements other receivers in the WR-rich class of 2020 have accomplished, while Reagor has had difficulty cracking the starting lineup. The Eagles had to bring back veteran players to provide depth behind Smith last year, because Reagor couldn’t get the job done and may be on the roster bubble at cut-down day if someone shines in the preseason.

Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

2021 record: 7-10

Notable coaching and system changes

The Commanders made a handful of in-house elevations for assistant position coaching positions, but the only position coach change was the result of the retirement of tight ends coach Pete Hoener, who walked away at age 70. He was replaced by longtime assistant coach Juan Castillo, who will bring O-line coaching experience to the tight end room.

Key free-agent additions

• QB Carson Wentz (trade with Indianapolis Colts)

Key free-agent departures

• QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (unsigned)
• TE Ricky Seals-Jones (New York Giants)

Key draft additions

• WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State (1st round)
• RB Brian Robinson Jr., Alabama (3rd round)
• QB Sam Howell, North Carolina (5th round)
• TE Cole Turner, Nevada (5th round)

Quarterback preview

Here we go again. Another new quarterback for Washington and another new team for Carson Wentz. Wentz’s fall from grace after his backup won a Super Bowl has been precipitous. The Eagles gave up on him for Jalen Hurts. The Colts went the other end of the spectrum – giving up on him for Matt Ryan. With Ryan Fitzpatrick and Kyle Allen gone, the path is cleared for Wentz to face a cursory challenge from Taylor Heinicke as the organization looks to develop fifth-round rookie Sam Howell.

If Wentz fails in Washington, he won’t be going to his next team as a presumptive starter. At best, Wentz is a QB2 fantasy player. If you’re in a 12-team league, he is leaning toward the bottom of the QB2 range.

Running back preview

Antonio Gibson earned his spot as the primary back in the offense, coming off a 1,000-yard season in which he was one of the few consistent aspects of the 2021 Washington Football Team. The arrival of Brian Robinson Jr. could be a more significant change than might be imagined with a third-round pick. He waited his turn at Alabama behind Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris and had a gigantic final season. He’s a downhill runner who can make a difference and may push for a time share with Gibson as the season goes along.

J.D. McKissic is a PPR-only flex stash in deeper leagues. There could be a scenario at play in which Gibson — a former receiver — becomes the third-down back with Robinson as the primary runner, thus forcing McKissic into complete uselessness.

Gibson has posted RB1 numbers, but Robinson is going to push hard for playing time. Look for Robinson to be a flex consideration at times with a small chance to supplant Gibson on early downs. For now, the third-year back is a quality No. 2 who comes with a fair degree of risk.

Wide receiver preview

The Commanders made the right moves to give Wentz enough targets. Terry McLaurin has been a fantasy darling for what he has been able to accomplish with sub-par quarterbacks throughout his career.

In the first season after signing Curtis Samuel to a three-year, $34.5 million deal with huge expectations, McLaurin thrived and Samuel stole money, getting a total of 10 offensive touches for 38 yards. Perhaps the Commanders will be looking to get out from under that onerous deal after this season. Washington went back to wide receiver in the first round of the draft to take Jahan Dotson, a touchdown machine at Penn State. His speed and ability to get separation make him dangerous. He could be a rookie sleeper to jump on.

Should an opportunity present itself, young reserves Cam Sims, Dyami Brown and will have a faint shot at relevance in daily action, but none of them are draftable.

McLaurin has posted No. 2 numbers despite a revolving door at quarterback. He should be able to threaten WR1 status as long as Wentz is competent.

Dotson is a strong flex consideration early as he makes the transition with the potential to move into WR3 territory later in the season. Samuel can be largely ignored on draft day but has mild flier appeal in deep settings.

Tight end preview

Logan Thomas has the skills to be a solid fantasy tight end, but he is coming off an ACL injury and is entering his age-31 season with a lone year of fantasy-worthy production to his credit. A 2021 rookie, John Bates filled in late and showed he could get the job done, although he wasn’t setting the fantasy world on fire. Rookie Cole Turner will challenge Bates for the No. 2 pass-catching role.

Given Wentz’s history of targeting the position, Thomas has TE2 value with matchup potential, but his injury history makes him more likely to fall at the bottom end of that scale.

Sleeper/breakout candidates

When you look at the Alabama running backs coming to the NFL under Nick Saban, it’s impressive. When you focus on backs of recent vintage – Jacobs and Harris – you have a blueprint that travels well to the NFL. Robinson bided his time at ‘Bama. He won’t be as easily pushed back in Washington. Gibson is a good back, but Robinson could permit more creative utility from the veteran.

Bust potential/overvalued players

Wentz’s jump to the NFL was pronounced coming from North Dakota State. His fall came just as quickly as Philly gave up on him in favor of a massive dead-cap hit. The Colts gave up on him after one season for a couple of Day 2 picks. This may be Wentz’s last chance to prove himself as a franchise quarterback.