2 Cowboys to buy, 2 to sell versus the Commanders

Week 2 is here, and the Dallas Cowboys are looking for a bounce-back week after a tough loss to the New York football Giants . Let's look at some players to buy/sell for Week 2.

Pickens almost feels like a given. He had some massive drops against the Giants; one might have been a touchdown. As is often the criticism of Pickens, his focus and intensity might not always be at 100%. His Week 1 stat line is marginal. Three catches for 28 yards on six targets. He drew more penalty yardage than actual receiving yards, racking up 38 total yards on Giants penalties. So even on an off night, he still made an impact.

What's more, Pickens led the Cowboys with a 16.1-yard average depth of target and 37.9% of the team's air yards, signaling the kind of role the Cowboys see for him.

Washington offers a logical bounce-back opportunity. The Commanders' secondary is already dealing with the absence of Trey Amos , while Washington cornerback Mike Sainristil was criticized heavily for a poor Week 1 performance. Saying Pickens is "due" for a bounce-back seems cliché, but Week 2 could very well be that moment for the 2025 Pro Bowler.

Ferguson had a tough game in Week 1. He only had six yards on two catches while being targeted six times against the G-Men. Dallas views the TE position like they do their running backs. A well-rounded player who can block and make plays. With Washington bringing an aggressive defensive scheme, Dallas can't afford to have its tight end become a liability when he's attached to the formation.

Then you have to consider the rise of Brevyn Spann-Ford and the many receivers that Dak Prescott has at his disposal. Ferguson's impact seems capped at occasional catches, and without some of the flash he could have shown, there may not be enough room for him to have a huge impact. Even still, the Commanders just gave up a huge game to Dallas Goedert , so anything could happen.

Ezeiruaku was arguably the Cowboys' best defender in Week 1. Yes, he had moments when he lost discipline on the edge and struggled in coverage, but he finished with 10 tackles, a half-sack, a tackle for loss and two pressures, and Dallas' official site notes that he earned the team's highest PFF grade at 86.5.

Now look at the matchup. Washington's starting left tackle is Brandon Coleman , filling in for injured Laremy Tunsil . Coleman allowed seven pressures and a sack against Philadelphia , while Washington's starting tackles allowed 15 pressures combined.

On top of that, Commanders QB Jayden Daniels tends to hold onto the ball too long. Daniels took a league-leading 3.41 seconds to throw in Week 1. That's a gift to a pass rush that desperately needs to get home. Ezeiruaku showed in Week 1 that he can create disruption. Week 2 gives him an opportunity to turn that disruption into production.

There are so many questions surrounding this group, and now that Overshown is out, even more doubt can creep into that position group. Dallas gave up 165 rushing yards to the Giants in Week 1, and the defense allowed New York to convert 82% of its third downs. The linebacking group was part of a larger defensive problem: Dallas struggled to consistently fit the run and communicate in coverage.

Now rookie third-round pick Jaishawn Barham will take over at MIKE and wear the green dot in his second NFL game. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Barham has "great command" of the defense, but that's still a significant responsibility for a rookie.

The problem is that Washington presents a similar challenge to Jaxson Dart and the Giants. Jayden Daniels is a mobile quarterback. Washington also ran for 132 yards against Philadelphia, with Jacory Croskey-Merritt carrying 16 times for 63 yards and Daniels adding 31 yards. That means Dallas' linebackers will have to diagnose quickly while also accounting for the quarterback as a runner.

And that's before you factor in the loss of Overshown, who normally relays Christian Parker's calls to the defense. Parker said this week that he trusts Barham, Dee Winters and Shemar James to step into the role, but the Cowboys will clearly be asking more of that trio than they expected entering the season.

Can Dallas' linebackers clean up their Week 1 mistakes while also replacing the guy who was supposed to run the defense? A significant ask at this point.