Dallas welcomes Jaydon Blue back from a heel bruise, cleared to make his preseason debut Friday against Atlanta. The fifth-round Texas product had been turning heads in camp with first-team reps and a spectacular one-handed grab, signaling the burst Dallas hopes to lean on. His return comes as Dallas’ backfield battles for touches intensify with Miles Sanders, Javonte Williams and Phil Mafah in the mix. The Cowboys’ ground game languished for stretches in preseason, underscoring Blue’s potential role once the regular season opens against Philadelphia.

Blue’s blend of speed and pass-catching could juice Dallas’ run game and offer a versatile option on quarterback runs and screens. If he seizes reps Friday, it may foreshadow a larger early-season role, though the backfield remains crowded and health will dictate carries. Fantasy managers should monitor Friday’s usage for a clearer read on workload and potential touches in Week 1.

CeeDee Lamb lands at No. 35 in the NFL Top 100 as the Cowboys meet the Cardinals in Week 9 on Monday Night Football. Lamb’s 2024 numbers—101 receptions for 1,194 yards and 6 TDs in 15 games—came with Dak Prescott missing nine games, underscoring Lamb’s elite volume even without a perfect QB. He’s 0-3 versus Arizona in his career, a narrative that adds pressure to Dallas’s passing attack on the road. The Cardinals’ list of top opponents this season features Lamb prominently, marking a flagship fantasy matchup in 2025.

Across the league’s Top 100 reveals, Arizona faces an array of star names and playmakers, highlighting a formidable slate for its defense and a prime chance for Lamb to push fantasy output. Week 9 on prime time should spotlight Lamb’s route-running and target share, with Prescott’s health and the Cards’ coverage being pivotal factors for fantasy managers.

The Dallas Cowboys hosted an open-to-the-public training camp at The Star in Frisco on Aug. 19, 2025, with players and fans filling the public slate. Dak Prescott sparked the energy, exchanging cheers with the crowd as he led a fast-paced session and signaled strong health entering the season. CeeDee Lamb was a constant highlight, catching passes and feeding the energy to the fan zone. The quarterbacks room featured Will Grier and Joe Milton III rotating reps behind Prescott, giving the offense a sense of competition and depth. Coach Brian Schottenheimer directed the action on the field, while receivers and tight ends flashed hands in multiple drills. Autograph lines clogged the fence as fans chased Dak and Lamb after practice, underscoring the star power shaping this camp.

Defensively, Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs stood out in drills and scrimmage situations, anchoring an aggressive unit that showed depth with Damone Clark and Malik Hooker manning the back end. Luke Schoonmaker and John Stephens Jr. worked the tight end corps, collecting passes and aligning with the run game. Jaydon Blue and KaVontae Turpin rotated into various drills, showcasing flexibility and special-teams upside. The scene also featured Traeshon Holden mingling for autographs, while George Pickens appeared in a captioned moment with Lamb, highlighting the cross-team chatter fans often relish. The camp day offered a practical read for fantasy managers: Prescott’s health remains the baseline, Lamb is the premier receiver, and Milton III/Grier could influence how targets distribute beyond the obvious stars.

Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer is raising the bar on physicality, preaching an ass-kicker mindset for the next two padded practices as they prepare for the season opener. The vibe is intense from the get-go: fighters in practice, pad level under scrutiny, and a clear message that every rep matters. The club showed flashes of a hard-nosed identity during camp, but it was tested in joint sessions with the Rams and in a rocky preseason loss to the Ravens, signaling a need to sharpen tackling and consistency.

Two themes drive the fantasy lens: first, the Cowboys want a more aggressive, physically dominant culture that could shift snap counts and drive success in gritty games. Second, the competition for roster spots has heightened the urgency, with early returns suggesting some surprise players could surface as Schottenheimer’s program takes hold. Expect more forceful run fits and tighter coverage, which could elevate short-area targets and defensive opportunism in the early slate.

In short, Dallas is chasing a tougher, more physical identity that, if sustained, could elevate fantasy relevance for tight ends and defensive-scheme players while pressuring the offense to punch through with better pad level and tackling—especially as they head toward Philadelphia.

The Dallas Cowboys’ tight end picture gets a subtle nudge in the latest practice notes as Luke Schoonmaker left for the locker room with the medical staff, leaving questions about his readiness for a pivotal third season. Schoonmaker has logged 35 catches for 306 yards and three touchdowns since being drafted in 2023, but he’s only a secondary piece behind Jake Ferguson, who inked a four-year, $52 million extension in July. Ferguson’s new deal cements him as the top TE in Dallas’ offense, while Schoonmaker competes for snaps and targets in a receiver-rich offense.

The Cowboys are back in Frisco after a month in California, with one more preseason game vs. Atlanta before opening the season vs. the defending champs, Philadelphia. The narrative around the Cowboys’ tight end room — Ferguson as the starter and Schoonmaker aiming to grow into a real threat — will influence fantasy value and roster decisions as Dallas arrives at Week 1. Expect a steady, committee-driven approach until clear roles emerge in the regular season.

For fantasy managers, this is a reminder to watch for volume shifts in the Cowboy tight end corps. Ferguson’s workload will likely remain prominent given the extension, while Schoonmaker’s health and development could tip the balance in a hurry if he’s limited or returns with upside in the passing game. The preseason finale against the Falcons could be telling as Dallas tests formations and target distribution ahead of Week 1.