Former Cowboys linebacker D.D. Lewis famously said that the reason the roof of Texas Stadium had a large gap in the middle was so God could watch.
The Cowboys’ new home, AT&T Stadium, has a roof without a large gap, although it’s retractable.
Connect the dots.
That’s right. Karma’s a you-know-what, and the Man Upstairs has been letting the Cowboys have it ever since “Jerry World” opened in 2009. The four-year playoff drought that ended last season was the longest since the late 1980s, when He could watch every home game.
But this time, the Lord might have outdone himself. In Week 1, wide receiver Dez Bryant suffered a broken bone in his foot. In
Week 2, quarterback Tony Romo suffered a broken collarbone. Tight end Jason Witten, the Cowboys’ only other top-10 fantasy player entering the season, better be careful. His status reportedly was uncertain because of ankle and knee sprains.
In casting his plagues on the Cowboys, though, the King of Kings inadvertently has turned fantasy owners’ seasons upside down, and His name has been used in vain more times than he can count. Going from Romo-Bryant to Brandon Weeden-Terrance Williams will prompt that reaction.
Weeden, the Browns’ first-round pick in 2012, had a 71.8 rating in two seasons with the team. That ranked 33rd among quarterbacks during that span. He started one game for the Cowboys last season in place of an injured Romo (back) and had a 55.5 rating. This isn’t Tom Brady coming to save the day in place of Drew Bledsoe.
Neither is Matt Cassel, whom the Cowboys acquired from the Bills on Wednesday. He gives the Cowboys more experience but not much else. Weeden will start until further notice.
We’ve seen plenty of teams with bad quarterbacks and usable receivers. Heck, Bears fans would argue that’s been the case with that offense the last few years. So while Weeden is a starting option only in two-quarterback leagues, Williams is a low-end WR2.
Consider this: In that one start last season, Weeden targeted Williams seven times, and that was with a healthy Bryant. In Weeden’s relief appearance Sunday, they connected for a 42-yard touchdown. And this week, the Cowboys host the Falcons, who have allowed the fourth-most passing yards in the league.
Then the Cowboys face the Saints, Patriots and Giants, all of whom rank in the bottom half of the league in pass defense. The Giants are last. Plus, Williams won’t face the coverage Bryant did as teams load up to stop the run and make Weeden beat them.
So while the situation might look dire, there is hope that the Cowboys will maintain fantasy relevance.
But it never hurts to pray.
STOCK MARKET
Rising
WR Allen Robinson, Jaguars
He had 145 yards and two touchdowns by halftime against the Dolphins. At worst, his owners could benefit from a lot of garbage-time scoring.
RB Dion Lewis, Patriots
Patriots running backs generally are dependent on the game plan, but if the game plan keeps calling for Lewis to get 13 touches for 138 yards, start him.
Falling
RB Joique Bell, Lions
The Lions claimed he was their lead back entering the season. Then why does Ameer Abdullah have more rushes? The answer might be Bell’s 1.6-yard average.
WR Alshon Jeffery, Bears
Never mind the quarterback situation. Injuries have become too much of an issue, and you won’t get a sniff of information from coach John Fox.
Follow me on Twitter @JeffreyA22.
Email: jagrest@suntimes.com
