A year ago the Dallas defense was mediocre in NFL terms (15th in yards allowed, 16th in points) and simply abysmal in fantasy (31st in a scoring system that awards 1 point for sacks, 2 for takeaways, and 6 for all touchdowns). It could actually be worse in 2016.
Starting defensive ends Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension. Now starting middle linebacker Rolando McClain will miss the first 10 games of the season -- so basically all of it -- for violating the league's substance abuse policy. That's the key nucleus of the front seven gone for a month to start the season, with McClain down another six games after that.
McClain has been productive for the Cowboys. He had 80 tackles in 11 games last season, 81 in 13 games in 2014. At last year's pace, he'd rack up 116 total tackles if he ever played 16 games.
McClain's direct backup, at present, is Andrew Gachkar, who barely played last season. Most likely, Sean Lee and Anthony Hitchens will need to do more. Lee, certainly, gets a boost in IDP leagues, although he carries some injury risk.
But the overall picture for the Cowboys is negative. Nice break for those teams who face the Cowboys early in the season: Giants, Washington, Chicago, San Francisco.
--Andy Richardson