The Dallas Cowboys (2-3) will host the Arizona Cardinals (3-2) this Monday at 7:15 PM CT. With star quarterback Dak Prescott out for the season, the Cowboys will look to Andy Dalton to provide offense. Dalton was the starting quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals for 9 seasons before signing with Dallas. This game will be challenging for the Cowboys offense, as the Cardinals are currently top 10 in the league in overall defense. It will be crucial for the Cowboys to limit the powerful duo of Kyler Murray and Deandre Hopkins. This will be a very difficult task, especially considering the fact that the Cowboys are towards the bottom of the league in overall defense. While this has the potential to be a close game, I expect the Cardinals to win, given their talented offense and solid defense. 

Fantasy Outlook: Here are my fantasy predictions for this game.

Who to Start:

Kyler Murray (QB, Cardinals): Kyler Murray is currently top 5 in terms of fantasy quarterbacks, averaging about 26 points per game. The Cowboys are 20th in the league in terms of pass defense, so it’s an easy choice to lock Murray in as a QB1 this week.

Deandre Hopkins (WR, Cardinals): Deandre Hopkins and Kyler Murray have developed strong chemistry, as Hopkins goes into this week leading the league in receiving yards and being the #1 fantasy wide receiver. Besides one slow game against the Carolina Panthers in week 4, Hopkins has produced over 20 fantasy points each week. Given a weak Cowboys defense, Hopkins is a clear WR1 with the likelihood of another 20+ point performance. 

Ezekiel Elliott (RB, Cowboys): Elliott is yet to have a 100+ yard rushing game. However, his presence in the Cowboys pass attack has made him reliable in fantasy. With the absence of Dak Prescott, Elliott will most likely see more carries. Elliott has earned fantasy owners over 20 points in all but one game this season, so look for him to have a higher volume and strong game as an RB1 against the Cardinals.

Who to Consider:

Amari Cooper (WR, Dallas): Prescott’s injury in the middle of the game last week certainly didn’t help Cooper, as he only caught 2 passes for 23 yards. Cooper will need to build strong chemistry with Andy Dalton in order for him to recover his status as a WR1. However, Cooper remains a top 10 wide receiver in fantasy, so he’s a safe play at WR2 for this week. I just don’t expect him to have a big game and won’t be surprised if he underperforms, considering rookie wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s increased volume.

CeeDee Lamb (WR, Dallas): Cowboys wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper are both in the top 10 in receiving yards going into this week. The rookie receiver has proven to be a safe fantasy play, averaging 17 fantasy points. Lamb is also yet to finish below 10 points in a game this season, so he’s a solid option at flex this week against a strong Cardinals defense.

Chase Edmonds (RB, Cardinals): Chase Edmonds is listed as RB2 in Arizona behind Kenyan Drake. However, in the last 2 weeks, Edmonds has produced a 15 and 20 point game. Edmonds has proven that he can be a playmaker even with a low volume share, so consider him as a risky flex play this week against a generous Cowboys defense.

Andy Dalton (QB, Cowboys): Despite a limited game last week, Andy Dalton was still able to pass for over 100 yards and get the Cowboys into field goal range to win the game. While Dalton is a backup, it’s worth noting that he has a strong air attack in Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and Ezekiel Elliott. Dalton is a risky play this week against a solid Cardinals defense, so only use him as a plan B or last resort option.

Who to Bench:

Kenyan Drake (RB, Cardinals): Kenyan Drake has been a subpar running back for fantasy managers, averaging a mediocre 10 points per game. With backup running back Chase Edmonds’ contributions in the last 2 games, he’s either a boom or bust player this week. Start him at your own risk.

Michael Gallup (WR, Cowboys): Michael Gallup caught a pair of deep passes that got the Cowboys into field goal range to win last week against the Giants. However, he only netted 11 fantasy points. Gallup remains a WR3 in Dallas, so it’s best to find a more reliable option, if at all possible.

Blake Jarwin (TE, Cowboys): Dalton Schultz had a single catch for 6 yards last week against the Giants, after hauling in 4 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown the week before. While he has his moments, Schultz has proven to be a risky and inconsistent choice for fantasy managers, so look for a more reliable option against a more generous defense this week.