This article is part of our Polarizing Players series.
After being selected as a top-4 QB in 2021, Dak Prescott had a disappointing season. Was last year the beginning of a downward trend or is he primed for a comeback?
Upside
Before suffering a calf injury that seemed to limit him after Week 6 last year, Prescott had thrown for at least three touchdowns in five of six games while throwing for at least 400 yards twice. And before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 5 of the 2020 season, he came off a three-game stretch in which he averaged 474 yards with eight touchdowns. He's also thrown for at least three touchdowns in 10 of his last 18 games. Despite not having vast rushing upside, Prescott has shown an incredible ceiling that could lead him to a top-3 season.
Downside
After the Cowboys traded Amari Cooper, Prescott no longer has two elite WRs to target. Although he still has CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup (though he's coming off a knee injury) and Dalton Schultz, this group took a major hit. Also, if the Dallas defense builds on last year's success, the offense might not be in as many shootouts. As a result, the Cowboys could rely more upon Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard and less on the passing attack. Finally, Prescott failed to throw for more than one touchdown in five of his last nine games despite having a favorable schedule. If these factors align, he could end up outside the top-8 QBs.
The Verdict
Even
After being selected as a top-4 QB in 2021, Dak Prescott had a disappointing season. Was last year the beginning of a downward trend or is he primed for a comeback?
Upside
Before suffering a calf injury that seemed to limit him after Week 6 last year, Prescott had thrown for at least three touchdowns in five of six games while throwing for at least 400 yards twice. And before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 5 of the 2020 season, he came off a three-game stretch in which he averaged 474 yards with eight touchdowns. He's also thrown for at least three touchdowns in 10 of his last 18 games. Despite not having vast rushing upside, Prescott has shown an incredible ceiling that could lead him to a top-3 season.
Downside
After the Cowboys traded Amari Cooper, Prescott no longer has two elite WRs to target. Although he still has CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup (though he's coming off a knee injury) and Dalton Schultz, this group took a major hit. Also, if the Dallas defense builds on last year's success, the offense might not be in as many shootouts. As a result, the Cowboys could rely more upon Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard and less on the passing attack. Finally, Prescott failed to throw for more than one touchdown in five of his last nine games despite having a favorable schedule. If these factors align, he could end up outside the top-8 QBs.
The Verdict
Even though Prescott will be a surefire fantasy starter, the loss of Cooper likely will prove problematic. If he falls outside the top-6 QBs in fantasy drafts, he'll be worth selecting due to his high floor and spike-week potential. But to select him earlier presents unnecessary risk.
