Jalen

Brooks

No real surprises here as the Cowboys limp towards the offseason with their worst record under head coach Mike McCarthy. They have continued with the effort despite their weak record and backup quarterback, something that could turn Sunday Night Football into a back-and-forth affair.

Brooks was added to the injury report on Thursday before being downgraded to a DNP on Friday, indicating he suffered a serious knee injury during practice. He scored his first career touchdown last week but will have to wait for an encore.

Brooks came down with his first career touchdown midway through the third quarter. Cooper Rush threaded the needle between two defenders and Brooks laid out to make the grab. Brooks is still operating as the Cowboys’ fourth receiver and isn’t on the fantasy radar for Week 16. The 2023 seventh-round pick is, however, a name to know in deep dynasty leagues.

It was the highest volume of targets Brooks has had since Week 6, where he had six in a blowout loss to the Lions. Brooks also set a season-high with the two catches. We’re very happy for him. He is not a recommended fantasy football play in any format at this point.

Tolbert was a surprising target-leader for the Cowboys in Week 2. Some of that is likely due to the team being down big in the second half, though he still operated ahead of KaVontae Turpin (three touches, six yards) and Jalen Brooks (one touch, 10 yards). His day was highlighted by a 40-yard contested catch that showed shades of his touted jump-ball ability. Tolbert also recovered a near-costly Dak Prescott fumble in the red zone to at least get the team a field goal. He is unlikely to be the Cowboys’ No. 2 target moving forward, but Tolbert’s usage offers some WR5 value for those in deeper leagues.

Brooks is listed as holdout WR CeeDee Lamb’s direct backup. He stuffed the stat sheet as a Cowboys starter on Sunday, securing a 43-yard reception on the first drive and finishing with one contested catch, one missed tackle forced and one explosive, 15-plus-yard pass play. More showings like this could earn him the right to compete with presumed three-wide receiver-set starter Jalen Tolbert.

With Jalen Brooks (one target) and Jalen Tolbert (three targets) also getting run in the Cowboys’ receiving corps, Gallup is hardly fantasy relevant. He has had a disappointing season, moving down the pecking order amongst the Cowboys offensive weapons. Gallup can be left on fantasy benches for Week 13 against the Seahawks.

Brooks ‘would likely be on the Cowboys’ if the season started today. The sixth-round rookie has been one of Dallas’ top receivers this preseason, flashing as a route runner in practices. Injuries and a slow forty time (4.69) dropped Brooks to Day 3 but he’s a three-year SEC starter with massive wingspan and size to play outside. Brooks is a sleeper for rookie-year snaps and the Dynasty hedge to Dallas’ top three receivers.

The ex-South Carolina receiver and JuCo star would have created a bidding war as a UDFA had Dallas not drafted him. Brooks played in just 23 games as a three-year USC starter (he spent part of the 2021 season away from the team and skipped the 2022 Gator Bowl) and had his stock drop when he ran the slowest 40 time (4.69) among receivers at the Combine, leading to his Day 3 fall. The Cowboys like the NFL frame on Brooks, whose arm length (34”) and broad jump (10’10”) ranked in the 90th percentile. With CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and Brandin Cooks Dallas’ top three receivers, Brooks will contribute on special teams and compete with second-year WR Jalen Tolbert and Fresno State WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper for the WR4 role.

Brooks (61’/201) is a bottom-of-the-barrel producer in this year’s draft class and one of the more underwhelming athletes at the position, Brooks will need to repeatedly impress in camp if he hopes to one day crack an NFL roster. With just 24 college games under his belt, Brooks finished his career with 58 receptions for 785 yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. He played on 127 special teams snaps during his career, which will prove more valuable than his receiving traits as he attempts to make an NFL roster.