Dallas Cowboys

P.J. Locke

S

Locke went down with a noncontact injury, and he was forced to leave the practice early. The safety appears to have avoided a major injury, and the team's doctors aren't overly concerned. Locke is set to operate as a top rotational piece behind Malik Hooker and Jalen Thompson in the secondary with Dallas this season, and in his absence, Alijah Clark is a top candidate to see an increase in reps at practice.

Tyler Smith

G

Smith was a first-round selection of the Cowboys in the 2022 NFL Draft and started 17 games at left tackle as a rookie before moving to guard. The transition paid off for Tulsa product, who made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three years and was rewarded with a four-year, $98 million contract extension last September. Smith underwent minor cleanup surgery on his right knee in February and has recovered enough to participate in training camp practices.

CeeDee Lamb

WR

This comes as no surprise considering Lamb is part of a one-two punch at wide receiver for Dallas along with George Pickens. After Lamb agreed to restructure his contract ahead of the opening of free agency in March, Pickens signed the franchise tag in April, ensuring the duo will be together for a second campaign in 2026. Lamb took a step back last year, missing three games overall due to injury and finishing with a 75-1,077-3 line on 117 targets in 14 regular-season contests, while Pickens blossomed for 93-1,429-9 on 137 targets in 17 outings. Both Lamb and Pickens can expect regular attention from QB Dak Prescott in the upcoming season.

Jalen Thompson

S

Thompson was able to get over his pectoral issue in time for Wednesday's first training camp session and was on the field alongside free safety Malik Hooker as a member of the starting secondary. The strong safety is all set to participate fully in camp activities, meaning P.J. Locke will likely see fewer opportunities.

Malik Hooker

S

Hooker was the starting free safety during Wednesday's first-team reps. The defensive back has recovered from the back issue that plagued him throughout minicamp and is all set to resume normal practice activities as training camp gets underway.

Jonathan Mingo

WR

Mingo has been dealing with a minor groin strain since early June. The wide receiver has finally recovered from the issue and is all set to perform at his best in training camp for a chance to move up the Cowboys' depth chart. Mingo will need to outshine Marquez Valdes-Scantling, KaVontae Turpin and Ryan Flournoy for a chance at high-value snaps during the 2026 season.

Donovan Ezeiruaku

LB

Ezeiruaku underwent a procedure for a hip issue in February but was able to participate in some drills during OTA's in early June. The strongside linebacker is now back to full strength and ready to return to the field full-time.

DaRon Bland

CB

Bland underwent surgery for a foot injury in January, so he was unable to fully participate in OTA's with the team. The starting outside cornerback is all set to go now and will be available for the full duration of training camp.

James Houston

LB

questionable

Dak Prescott

QB

Prescott isn't wearing a brace on his leg or showing any signs of still managing the knee soreness that caused him to be limited during Dallas' mandatory minicamp back in June. It had been reported upon his initial injury disclosure that Prescott was expected to be a full-go for camp, which appears to be the case. The 33-year-old veteran will spend camp working to improve his chemistry with top wideouts CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in preparation for what's expected to be one of the league's top scoring offenses.

Malik Davis

RB

Dallas added Blue and Mafah in the fifth and seventh rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft last spring, but Davis was able to hold off both players for the No. 2 role once Miles Sanders (knee) went down with a season-ending injury in late September. While handling limited reps behind Williams, Davis averaged 4.8 yards on 52 carries, but he lacks standout traits as a runner and offers little utility as a pass catcher. Though Davis' ability to contribute on special teams should put him in good position to win a roster spot, Archer suggests that the 27-year-old is a "forgotten man" in the backup running back competition, with Blue bringing a more explosive skill set to the table and coming off an excellent offseason program in which the coaching staff touted his dramatic improvement compared to a year ago. The 6-foot-1, 232-pound Mafah, meanwhile, could represent a more ideal candidate than the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Davis to handle reps on early downs if Williams were to miss time at any point.

Brevyn Spann-Ford

TE

Spann-Ford appeared in all 17 games for the Cowboys for the second straight season in 2025, so it's reasonable to anticipate he'll play a role in the offense again in 2026. However, he spent most of his snaps last year blocking, so there's no guarantee an increased snap count would translate to fantasy reliability.

Phil Mafah

RB

Mafah, Malik Davis and Jaydon Blue will battle for the top backup spot throughout training camp. The Cowboys drafted Mafah in the seventh round in 2025, two rounds after selecting Blue. Mafah made his NFL debut in Week 18 of the 2025 campaign against the Giants and scored a touchdown on one of his five carries.

Javonte Williams

RB

Williams is set to lead a backfield that also includes Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, Israel Abanikanda and Dominic Richardson heading into training camp. Blue, a 2025 fifth-round pick, could be ready for a larger role in his second season, especially in passing situations, but Williams remains the clear No. 1 option for the Cowboys at running back after rushing for a career-high 1,201 yards across 16 games in 2025, Williams' age-25 campaign.

George Pickens

WR

Pickens has voiced his willingness to play on the one-year franchise tag, so Wednesday's deadline passing without a new contract doesn't come as a surprise. Playing for a long-term deal or future free-agency payday should only reinforce his fantasy appeal as one of the top downfield and red-zone targets for Dak Prescott (knee), and alongside CeeDee Lamb, Pickens again will form one of the top one-two punches at wideout in the NFL. The Cowboys managed Pickens' reps at mandatory minicamp in June, but by all accounts he will have no limitations at the start of training camp other than a normal ramp-up period.

Charles Snowden

LB

Snowden will be eligible to participate in all team activities with the Cowboys until the start of the regular season, including preseason games, but he will then be ineligible to play until Week 4. The 28-year-old former Raider just signed with the Cowboys in June.

Jake Ferguson

TE

Ferguson signed a four-year, $50 million extension with Dallas last offseason, so the 27-year-old remains positioned as Dak Prescott's top target at the tight end position for the foreseeable future. He caught 82 passes for 600 yards and eight touchdowns while suiting up for all 17 regular-season games last year, giving him a steady fantasy floor through volume and red-zone usage. It's worth noting, though, that Ferguson's average depth of catch has dropped in three consecutive seasons, from 10.7 yards in 2023 to 8.4 in 2024, then just 7.3 yards per catch in 2025.

Marist Liufau

LB

In anticipation of the move from off-ball linebacker to the edge for Dallas, Liufau has bulked up this offseason. "I'm excited, [it's] just another opportunity to get on the field," Liufau said. "At the end of the day, it's not something I can't do. I'm excited to really showcase what I can do. I will be fine." Liufau is expected to get more opportunities to rush the passer under Parker. A third-round pick in 2024, Liufau has appeared in all 34 regular-season games since entering the league but logged just 18 percent of the defensive snaps under DC Matt Eberflus last season. With Parker now at the controls on the defensive side, Liufau could get more reps in tandem with Rashan Gary.

Ryan Flournoy

WR

"You saw him take that step, I'd say in the middle of the season last year and he came back, man, with just a really strong intent for what he wanted to get done," Schottenheimer said. "He looks great. He's moving great. His routes, I think have gotten better. Here's a guy from a small school that's come in and really adapted to the way we teach route breaks and releases and speed terms and power cuts and things like that. I really think the sky's the limit for him and he's definitely a guy we see finding ways to get him the ball." Flournoy is locked into the Cowboys' third receiver spot behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and he's one of the best bench stashes at the wideout spot in fantasy. If either Lamb or Pickens were to get injured, Flournoy would assume an every-down role in a high-octane passing attack. With Lamb out for three games last regular season, Flournoy produced one of his two 100-yard receiving games and was targeted 17 times across those three contests.

Jaydon Blue

RB

Blue, who the Cowboys took in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, logged just 38 carries for 129 yards and a TD and one catch for five yards in five regular-season games as a rookie. While Malik Davis emerged as Javonte Williams' primary backup last year, Blue will have a chance to compete for that role this summer with Davis, as well as Phil Mafah. Williams remains the team's unquestioned lead back, but if Blue can parlay the speed and explosiveness Schottenheimer has noted he possesses into a larger complementary role, the Texas product could carry fantasy sleeper appeal in 2026.

Matt Hennessy

C

This was an expected move, as Hennessy underwent neck surgery in early June. The center currently has no return timeline, but considering he was placed on IR before cut-down day in late August, he's out for the season unless he reaches an injury settlement with Dallas.

Denzel Mims

WR

The 2020 second-round pick played three years for the Jets before bouncing around practice squads for the next two years. Mims played the 2025 and 2026 seasons in the UFL, accumulating 11 receptions for 110 yards over 11 games split between the Battlehawks and Renegades. The wide receiver will now compete with a packed Cowboys corps in an attempt to remain on an NFL roster.

Markquese Bell

S

Bell was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and marijuana back in April, but the NFL has yet to send down any disciplinary action. As long as he remains available, he projects to play a rotational role in Dallas' secondary in 2026.

Alijah Clark

S

DeMarvion Overshown

LB

The linebacker is also healthy and wearing no knee brace, per Machota. That's significant, seeing as he missed 12 games with a knee injury in 2025. Overshown made an impact in 2024, with 90 tackles (56 solo), including 5.0 sacks, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery across 13 regular-season games.