Where did ESPN rank the Cowboys’ playmakers?

The Dallas Cowboys have majorly dropped in ESPN’s ranking of the NFL’s offensive playmaker groups. Every year, Bill Barnwell ranks the top groups of wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends for each NFL team. Last year, Barnwell had the Cowboys ranked No. 7. This year, they’ve fallen all the way down to No. 18.

How does Barnwell rank the skill positions?

Barnwell is only ranking the wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends, without factoring in the quarterback.

“In other words, imagine if every set of offensive skill position players got a chance to play with the same average quarterback in an average scheme with average weather, average luck and at an average pace,” Barnwell said. “Who would have the league’s best offense?”

He takes into consideration only these players’ projected on-field performance using their “recent level of play and advanced metrics”, factoring in aging curves since the younger players are more likely to improve the next year than players in their 30s. He also said that wide receivers weigh more heavily than both running backs and tight ends.

How did the Cowboys end up ranked so low in 2024?

With that in mind, you might think Cowboys’ wide receiver CeeDee Lamb would outweigh both RB Ezekiel Elliott and TE Jake Ferguson, the Cowboys’ top playmakers, and he does...but let’s not forget who’s behind those three. First of all, the Cowboys’ No. 1 running back last year was Tony Pollard, and he’s off to the Titans, and their No. 2 wide receiver was Michael Gallup, who’s now with the Raiders.

Rather than draft anyone new to fill those positions or make any big free agency moves, the Cowboys brought back Ezekiel Elliott, who was replaced by Pollard as the top running back over a year ago and is now past his prime. And they’re counting on Brandin Cooks as the No. 2 receiver, who Barnwell says has been on a steady decline, with Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks, and Ryan Flournoy behind him.

Despite Lamb’s indisputable superstar status, this doesn’t leave much room for hope - at least not for Barnwell,

“Owing to the expected new contracts for Prescott, Lamb and Micah Parsons, the depth here is nonexistent,” said Barnwell. “If Lamb were to get injured, this could be one of the two worst groups of playmakers in football.

As for Ferguson, Barnwell does recognize him as basically quarterback Dak Prescott’s No. 2 receiver and acknowledged his 761 yards and five touchdowns to end the season, plus one of the best performances (three touchdowns) in the Cowboys’ Wild Card playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers. Behind him, however, is Luke Schoonmaker, who had a whopping eight receptions in his rookie year, and after him, Peyton Hendershot, John Stephens Jr., and undrafted free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem Lamb and Ferguson alone will be enough to make up for the lack of depth at receiver and running back. The Cowboys can obviously prove Barnwell wrong, but they’ll need one of their depth players to do that themselves this season.

Cowboys report to training camp July 24 with the first practice on Thursday, July 25.