Jalen

Tolbert

NFL insider Jordan Schlutz reports Tolbert is “close with Malik Willis,” who was signed by the Dolphins earlier this week. A former third-round pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Tolbert never emerged as a top option in the Cowboys’ passing game. Last season, the 27-year-old had his least productive season since his rookie year, catching 18 passes for 203 yards and one touchdown despite appearing on 464 offensive snaps. With Jaylen Waddle being the only starter of note in Miami’s receiver room, it’s possible Tolbert carves out a more meaningful role this season, but we wouldn’t bet on there being much fantasy value here.

We’re just a couple of years away from Tolbert being thought of as a potential fantasy sleeper. Instead, the 26-year-old will finish with 18 catches on 34 targets for 203 yards and one touchdown. He’ll enter free agency this offseason, but doesn’t figure to command a lot of interest as anything other than a depth option to round out a team’s wide receiver corps.

Clowney (hamstring) attempted to give it a go in warmups after practicing once, a limited session on Wednesday, this week. He will be missed against the Lions’ top-notch offense. The Cowboys have once again declared Blue, the once-exciting rookie, inactive this week. He does not need to be stashed at this time.

A 35-yard bomb from Joe Milton hit Tolbert square in the hands — a thing of beauty — as the Cowboys were down 27 in the fourth quarter. Tolbert playing at that point tells you all you need to know about how his season is going, as he fell behind Ryan Flournoy with eight snaps to Flournoy’s 28. Neither player is fantasy-interesting with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens vacuuming up the targets in this offense.

Tolbert started, played 50 of 55 snaps, and managed just one target. Last week, he played 46 offensive snaps and managed ... one target. It’s been a magical run of sacrificial X receiver play. Tolbert does not need to be rostered.

Tolbert was a non-factor in this one. The early PFF data credits Tolbert with 46 offensive snaps to Ryan Flournoy’s 36, but it was Flournoy who tied for the team-high nine targets in Sunday’s win, while Tolbert was an afterthought. Tolbert is sitting on a 10-101-0 line on 19 targets through the first five weeks. Fantasy managers can’t depend on him in Week 6 against the Panthers.

Turpin’s absence should open up the potential of a Jalen Tolbert ceiling game against a beleaguered Jets secondary. What is a Jalen Tolbert ceiling game? We’re questioning that in a post-Kendrick Bourne 100-yard world, but it wouldn’t seem to be better than a fantasy WR3. Regardless, this is a great spot for Tolbert given how well Dak Prescott is playing right now.

Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin were both asked to step into increased roles in the absence of alpha wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who missed the first of a projected 3-4 games with an ankle sprain in Week 4. It was Tolbert, and not Turpin, who returned usable fantasy stats in a PPR format, with the latter catching just 3-of-4 targets for 30 yards while adding four yards on his lone carry. Neither are recommended streaming options when the Cowboys take on the Jets on the road in Week 5.

Turpin remains explosive, he hauled in a 27-yard sideline ball from Dak Prescott despite getting his bell rung in the third quarter, then found the rest of it on Prescott’s last drive, a 37-yard catch. It sure seems like the Cowboys can create some fun and interesting things with Turpin, which is why it’s very frustrating that he was limited to 49 snaps after CeeDee Lamb went down, with Jalen Tolbert getting 65 snaps to go 3/24 on six targets. Turpin should be on the monitor list, but isn’t an urgent pick up or start at this point.

He took over as Dallas’ third receiver with KaVontae Turpin (neck) out for the majority of the second half and overtime. Tolbert dropped a Prescott laser on one key third down and looked like he had no prayer to break a tackle on another one in overtime. Even if Turpin misses time, Tolbert would be an unexciting use of a roster spot in shallow leagues.