Fantasy Reaction: Dak Prescott Out 6-8 Weeks with Broken Thumb

The Cowboys got off to an 0-1 start on Sunday Night Football with a 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but that wasn’t the worst news of the evening. Franchise QB Dak Prescott suffered a fractured thumb in the second half of the team’s loss and is set to miss 6-8 weeks. He’ll have surgery on Monday to insert a pin and plate into the base of the thumb to stabilize the joint and is likely to land on Injured Reserve. Fantasy managers may be hoping this is similar to the injury sustained by Russell Wilson in 2021 when Russ returned to the lineup in just five weeks. However, the injuries are completely different as Wilson injured the UCL, a ligament on the inside of thumb. The rate at which Dak can return to the lineup depends on the surgical procedure and degree of damage around the base of the thumb that extends into the joint at the base. It will take time for the bone to heal and for Prescott to regain full mobility of the thumb. As a result, fantasy managers should be prepared for Prescott to miss six weeks at a minimum with the potential for him to return sometime in late October or early November.

Here’s how Dak Prescott injured his hand pic.twitter.com/UVhn4nMkUk

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 12, 2022

It wasn’t the only bad news Dallas got on Sunday night. Their starting LG, Connor McGovern, also exited early due to a high ankle sprain, which is likely to keep him out of the lineup for at least a month. McGovern will join All-Pro LT Tyron Smith on the sidelines as the Cowboys are now down two starters on the left side of their offensive line to go along with a significant injury to arguably their most important player, Dak Prescott. Desperate for help on the offensive line, the team was forced to sign 40-year-old Jason Peters, but he did not play in Week 1 as he takes time to get into game shape. Barring any free agent signings or trades, the Cowboys are now likely to turn to career backup QB, Cooper Rush.

Systemically, the outlook for Dallas looks bleak due to the litany of injuries sustained as well as the lack of depth at valuable pass catching positions. The Cowboys let Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson walk in free agency, leaving behind a massive void in the WR room behind Ceedee Lamb. The team drafted Jalen Tolbert in the 3rd round of April’s draft but made him a healthy scratch in Week 1 after he struggled to carve out a role in the preseason and training camp, and James Washington is out several weeks due to a fractured foot sustained early in training camp.

For fantasy purposes, the ceiling for CeeDee Lamb, Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard and Dalton Schultz is significantly lowered with Rush at QB behind a suspect offensive line. Rush has only attempted 110 career passes, and he’s started just one game in his six seasons in the NFL. With the key fantasy pieces on the Cowboys to be without their starting QB for the foreseeable future, it seems unlikely any of these players return value on their preseason ADP. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Cowboys are now +550 to win the Division, the worst odds in the NFC East. Entering the year, they were the preseason favorite.

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