Dallas Cowboys

Dak Prescott

QB

Prescott connected with CeeDee Lamb for a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter and found Javonte Williams for a 17-yard touchdown in the fourth. Prescott's interception in the final minute of the first half proved costly, as the Giants scored a go-ahead touchdown six plays later and led the rest of the way. Lamb finished with just 44 yards and George Pickens had only 28, as Dallas' talented passing game was stuck in first gear. Prescott, who finished third in the league with 4,552 passing yards during the 2025 regular season, will try to pick up the pace in Dallas' Week 2 home opener against the Commanders.

Javonte Williams

RB

Williams scored a one-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter and added a 17-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. He was called for a 15-yard taunting penalty on his touchdown catch, and Brandon Aubrey missed the ensuing PAT to keep Dallas' deficit at eight points with 5:21 remaining, though that miss proved moot after the Giants proceeded to eat up the remainder of the game clock on the ensuing possession. No Cowboys teammate had more than two carries in Sunday's loss, so Williams is locked in as the primary option in Dallas' backfield heading into a Week 2 home game against the Commanders.

George Pickens

WR

Pickens had a couple drops in Sunday night's underwhelming season-opening performance. He was also quiet Week 1 last season with a 30-yard receiving performance against the Eagles, but Pickens went on to post career highs with 1,429 receiving yards and nine TDs during the 2025 regular season. The talented wide receiver has a nice rebound opportunity coming up Week 2 against a Washington secondary that was among the league's leakiest in 2025.

CeeDee Lamb

WR

Lamb led the team in targets and receiving yards, as Dak Prescott threw for only 175 yards in a subpar Week 1 showing from Dallas' talented passing game. It was encouraging to see Lamb find the end zone in the season opener after he scored a career-low three touchdowns across 14 appearances during the 2025 regular season. Lamb had at least six total TDs in each of the preceding five campaigns, and he got on the board with a one-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter against the Giants. The Cowboys will aim to bounce back in their Week 2 home opener against the Commanders.

Malik Hooker

S

Hooker left the game in the fourth quarter and recorded just one solo tackle prior to his departure. P.J. Locke and Markquese Bell are next in line for snaps at safety alongside Jalen Thompson.

DeMarvion Overshown

LB

Overshown left the game in the second half and was spotted on the sideline without his helmet, suggesting his night may be over. Prior to the injury, Overshown racked up seven tackles (one solo). Jaishawn Barham and Shemar Jones are next up at linebacker alongside Dee Winters.

Tyrus Wheat

LB

inactive

Israel Abanikanda

RB

inactive

Camden Brown

WR

inactive

Caelen Carson

CB

inactive

Ajani Cornelius

OT

inactive

Malik Davis

RB

Davis underwent surgery Saturday for a hip injury, and Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports that the procedure will sideline the 27-year-old running back for the entire 2026 season. With Davis on the shelf, the Cowboys bolstered their backfield depth by signing Israel Abanikanda from the practice squad to the active roster, with the latter serving as the RB3 behind Javonte Williams and Emari Demercado.

Emari Demercado

RB

Davis was carted off the field during Friday's practice, and a diagnosed hip injury now could keep him sidelined for "some period of time," per Cowboys COO Stephen Jones on 105.3 The Fan Dallas. As the only other running back on the active roster behind starter Javonte Williams, Demercado, who was claimed off waivers on Aug. 31, seemingly is the next player up, but what kind of role he'll get off the bat remains to be seen. Demercado's competitors for reserve RB reps are FB Hunter Luepke and practice-squad member Israel Abanikanda.

Ryan Flournoy

WR

Flournoy has been a nice find for the Cowboys after they selected him in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The wideout tallied a career-best 40 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns over 16 regular-season games last year and is set for a larger role as the team's No. 3 wide receiver in 2026. Flournoy now is in line to remain with Dallas through 2027, and he could be a great value if he proves to be productive with potentially increased opportunities during the upcoming campaign.

Brevyn Spann-Ford

TE

Spann-Ford has played in all 34 regular-season games with Dallas during his first two NFL seasons and is now set to remain with the club for the foreseeable future. The Minnesota product hasn't been a big part of the Cowboys' passing game, logging only 18 catches during those 34 contests, but he has contributed solid blocking in a rotational role. Spann-Ford should continue to work behind starter Jake Ferguson and alongside fellow reserve Luke Schoonmaker in 2026.

Tyler Guyton

OT

Guyton was dealing with elbow soreness last month but is now healthy again. The 2024 first-round pick is expected to serve as the Cowboys' starting left tackle once the regular season gets underway.

Jonathan Bullard

DT

Bullard was limited to side work during most of training camp and did not play in any of the Cowboys' three preseason games while recovering from a hamstring injury in early August. The rehab work has evidently paid off, and the veteran nose tackle is on track to play in Sunday's regular-season opener against the Giants. Bullard appeared in 15 regular-season games for the Saints in 2025, finishing with 26 tackles (12 solo) and two pass defenses.

Tyler Smith

G

Smith is scheduled to miss four to six weeks to recover from a procedure on his injured thumb. He'll be required to miss at least the Cowboys' next four games, so the earliest that the fifth-year offensive lineman can play is Week 5 against the Buccaneers on Thursday, Oct. 8. T.J. Bass will serve as the Cowboys' starting left guard for as long as Smith is sidelined.

Devin Moore

CB

ir

Matt Hennessy

C

ir

Jake Ferguson

TE

Ferguson, George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott were all sidelined for the entire preseason, ensuring that they will all be available for Week 1 against the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 13. Ferguson is coming offf a career year, finishing the 2025 regular season with 82 catches (on 102 targets) for 600 yards and eight touchdowns across 17 games. Even with Lamb and Pickens both commanding 100-plus targets last year, Ferguson's reliability in the passing game has made him a go-to option for Prescott in the passing game. Ferguson will operate as the Cowboys' top pass-catching tight end this season, with Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker providing depth at the position.

Sam Howell

QB

The Cowboys waived Joe Milton on Tuesday, leaving Howell as the sole reserve quarterback on the 53-man roster. The 25-year-old signed with the team in March after failing to have his contract extended by the Eagles during the 2025 season. The 2022 fifth-round pick by the Commanders will now start his second NFL contract with a division rival.

DJ Rogers

TE

Rogers suffered an MCL sprain during the preseason and was waived with an injury designation on Sunday. The tight end went unclaimed and will now spend the entirety of the 2026 regular season on IR unless he is waived with an injury settlement.

Marist Liufau

LB

Liufau suffered a broken left forearm during the team's preseason finale against New Orleans on Friday. The linebacker will now be forced to miss at least four contests to open the regular season while on IR. Liufau is primarily a special-teams asset, so his absence won't carry a major impact on defense.

Broderick Jones

OT

Pittsburgh selected Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he's yet to make much of an impact as a pro. Dallas elected to take a chance on his pedigree and was willing to give up draft capital in return. The Cowboys have some question marks at tackle, so Jones could get a chance to provide valuable depth at the position if he makes a positive impression.