Week 2 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
As expected, Andy Dalton struggled against the Rams' defense in Week 1. He finished with just 206 yards with no touchdowns and two turnovers. He also had Justin Fields replace him on a few plays, and even steal a score away. Even aside from the basic numbers, Dalton's performance was lacking. According to PFF, the Bears were the only team in Week 1 to not attempt a single pass 15 yards downfield. We're expecting a slightly better game from Dalton in Week 2 just because it's a better matchup, but he's still outside the top 25 quarterbacks.
Week 1 at Los Angeles Rams
The Bears are unfortunately trotting out Andy Dalton instead of exciting rookie Justin Fields. Dalton is already a poor fantasy option considering he finished 28th in fantasy points per game among QBs who played in at least 10 games last season. And that was with one of the best receiving corps in the league in Dallas. He now moves to a worse situation in Chicago, and he draws a brutal matchup against Jalen Ramsey and the Rams. Dalton is one of the poorer options at QB in Week 1.
Week 17 vs. New York Giants
Andy Dalton had a nice game last week when he posted 377 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception on 30 attempts against the Eagles. Dalton has had some rough patches since taking over as the starter in Dallas, but he has shown enough to warrant consideration as a cheap quarterback option in the right matchups. A Week 17 matchup with the Giants is not an easy one, but Dalton managed to turn in a decent day against a similar defense last week. Dalton still has some of the best weapons in the league at his disposal and the Cowboys should be playing motivated as they fight for the playoffs in Week 17. Dalton is not an exciting option, but you could do worse if going cheap at quarterback to finish off the regular season.
Week 16 vs. Philadelphia Eagles\
Andy Dalton has improved substantially since returning from his concussion and stay on the COVID list. Since his return, Dalton has thrown 10 touchdowns to three interceptions, including in games against some tough defenses. Dalton is serviceable enough to get the job done as a QB2 due to the explosive weapons at his disposal in the passing game, and the Eagles are not an overly troubling matchup outside of their pass rush. The Cowboys' offensive line remains devastated by injury, so the biggest concern this week is Dalton facing immense pressure. If he can stave off the Philly pass rushers, Dalton should be able to post starting-caliber numbers in two-quarterback leagues.
Week 14 at Cincinnati Bengals
Andy Dalton has improved his play since returning from injury in Week 11. Dalton is averaging 234 yards passing over his last three starts and has thrown six touchdowns to three interceptions in that span. Now Dalton will travel to Cincinnati to take on a weak Bengals defense that struggles to generate pressure on the quarterback and cannot stop the run. The Cowboys-Bengals game is projected to be a low-scoring, run-heavy affair, meaning Dalton has a low ceiling this week, but his improved play and the soft matchup make him viable as a QB2 in Week 14.
Week 13 at Baltimore Ravens
Andy Dalton will not be a starting-quality fantasy option in Week 13 facing off against a strong Baltimore defense. Dalton managed a decent showing last week against the Vikings, but a matchup with the Ravens will prove far more difficult as they have been one of the toughest defenses in the league both against quarterbacks and opposing offenses in general. While Dalton still has a plethora of weapons at his disposal, the Dallas offensive line continues to struggle and the pressure Dalton will face against Baltimore's front seven takes him off the streaming radar.
Week 12 vs. Washington Football Team
Andy Dalton had a respectable showing in Week 11 when he put up 203 yards and three touchdowns on the Vikings while only committing one turnover. The Cowboys' shuffling along the offensive line appears to have paid off as Dalton faced significantly less pressure with Zack Martin playing right tackle and Joe Looney at center. Now the Cowboys turn to their annual Thanksgiving showdown with the Washington Football Team, a defense that has been strong against the pass to this point in the season. Dalton's progress in Week 11 is promising for the fantasy prospects of his teammates, but he is not a starting-caliber fantasy option in a tough matchup Thursday.
Week 11 at Minnesota Vikings
Andy Dalton will return to lead the Dallas offense against the Vikings in Week 11. Last time we saw Dalton he was doing nothing to instill any confidence that he can be a viable streaming option, and the rest of the Cowboys' skill players were feeling the effects. Of course, Dallas's other backups didn't show anything when they were filling in either, so Dalton appears to be the best option under center in Dallas for the time being. The Vikings defense is not good, but it is difficult to trust Dalton as anything more than a middling QB2 with his limited mobility behind a shaky offensive line.
Week 7 at Washington Football Team
There was a hope Andy Dalton could take over for Dak Prescott and manage the Dallas offense well enough to keep the team steered toward the playoffs and Dalton on the streaming radar. If Week 6 is any indication, that hope was misplaced. Dalton looked horrific on Monday night against Arizona. He still registered 54 pass attempts, but only completed 34 of them for 266 yards to post a minuscule 4.93 yards per attempt. Dalton tossed a touchdown, but also threw two interceptions and generally struggled to move the ball with any consistency. The Dallas offensive line is not good enough to keep pressure off Dalton, and his inability to deliver the ball downfield from the pocket will limit the offense as long as he is starting. Start Dalton at your own risk against Washington.
Week 6 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Andy Dalton will take over for Dak Prescott at the helm of one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL to this point in the season. It's unlikely Dalton will be able to replace Prescott's massive passing numbers entirely, but Dalton is competent enough to move the ball, particularly with one of the best skill groups in all of the NFL to work with. Dalton's distribution of targets will be one of Week 6's more intriguing fantasy storylines. If Dalton can form a rapport with the variety of weapons at his disposal, he could be a streaming option in good matchups. Week 6 presents a matchup with the mediocre Arizona defense, a unit that just took a massive hit with Chandler Jones going down injured. Dalton should be on the streaming radar in 12-team leagues.
