The Player
Running back Darius Jackson is an athletic freak who should be rostered in deep dynasty leagues, but he has zero chance to supplant Ezekiel Elliott, so we will instead profile another athletic freak on the Cowboys' roster: Brice Butler.
Butler was a hyped recruit at USC who got lost in the shuffle as Pete Carroll left after his freshman year and was replaced by Lane Kiffin. He transferred to San Diego State as a senior and put up just 347 yards and 4 touchdowns, demonstrating outstanding ability but very little consistency.
Yet an outstanding NFL combine put him on the map, and despite very little collegiate production, he was drafted by the Raiders in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. During his first two seasons he flashed his speed and ball tracking ability, but terrible quarterback play (Terrelle Pryor, anyone?) and limited opportunities caused him to be an afterthought once again.
He was traded to Dallas last season, where his ability as a deep threat was apparent as he averaged 21.5 yards per catch in spot duty. So why is he a player to watch? His athletic profile is unreal:
| Name | Hght | Wght | 40 yd | 10 yd | Vert | Broad | 3Cone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brice Butler | 6' 3" | 213 | 4.37 | 1.54 | 39" | 129" | 6.70 |
| A.J. Green | 6' 4" | 211 | 4.48 | 1.55 | 34½" | 126" | 6.91 |
| Miles Austin | 6' 2" | 215 | 4.47 | 40½" | 123" | ||
| DeVante Parker | 6' 3" | 209 | 4.45 | 36½" | 125" | ||
| Braylon Edwards | 6' 3" | 210 | 4.45 | 38" | 6.83 | ||
| Martavis Bryant | 6' 3½" | 211 | 4.42 | 1.53 | 39" | 124" | 7.18 |
| Javon Walker | 6' 3" | 210 | 4.38 | 1.53 | 39½" | 126" | 6.86 |
| Kevin White | 6' 3" | 215 | 4.35 | 36½" | 123" | 6.92 | |
| Julio Jones | 6' 3" | 220 | 4.34 | 1.5 | 38½" | 135" | 6.66 |
His lean frame, lack of route running precision, and perhaps his tendency to body catch could limit his development, but if he can develop as a player, he has a deep ball ability that resembles Martavis Bryant and A.J. Green.
The Opportunity
While Terrance Williams' inconsistency as a player is perhaps overblown, we know now that he is nothing more than a solid role player in a low volume offense. His catch rate with Dez Bryant out of the lineup was a poor 48.97%, indicating his inability to win as a lead receiver.
Can Butler be more? If Tony Romo remains under center, the potential is certainly there, especially if Dez Bryant's foot issues or other injury concerns reoccur in 2016.
In 2012, Tony Romo had almost 4,903 yards with Dez Bryant and Jason Witten eclipsing the 1,000-yard receiving mark and Miles Austin finishing with 943. While many expect the 2016 Cowboys to once again be a dominant running team, a healthy Romo would allow for multiple receivers to have productive seasons.
Terrance Williams is certainly a safe player to own, but his ceiling appears capped by his limited skill set. If Butler can harness his immense physical gifts, no one should be surprised if he surpassed Williams on the depth chart.
While an injury to Bryant is his most likely path onto the field, Butler is certainly a player worth monitoring this preseason and heading into 2016.