Team news: Dallas Cowboys | Page 31

49ers head coach told reports Friday that rookie QB Trey Lance will play 'situationally.'

"That doesn’t mean he’s go be the starter or anything," Shanahan said. "But he’s going to get plays.”

Taysom Hill is nodding his head in approval.

Trey Lance is the future for the 49ers, much to Jimmy Garoppolo's chagrin. Lance also has something Jimmy G wishes he had - excellent rushing capabilities. Shanahan also said Lance will get first-team reps so the offensive line can get used to working with him.

What Shanahan did Friday was add gasoline to the Trey Lance fire, and we are here for it.

Cowboys WR Amari Cooper said he weighs 215 pounds now. Wants to play at 210. Faster.

Related players: CeeDee Lamb

Cooper said he has been 225 the past three seasons. Cooper’s goal is to have best season of his football career. Not just words, he said. Actions been intentional, the tweet all said. For fantasy purposes, he may be trying to hold off CeeDee Lamb, who is getting drafted ahead of Cooper in some leagues.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has “taken a step back” in his return from shoulder strain, coach Mike McCarthy said.

McCarthy went on to say: “We’re being more conservative with his timetable.” Prescott won’t throw today and won’t play in Hall of Fame Game, according to the tweet. The team trying to avoid it becoming “something bigger,” also according to the tweet. The team still feels the same about the injury, just adjusting the timetable.

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan doesn’t currently have plans to give Lance first-team reps.

Related players: Jimmy Garaopollo

Shanahan says that the 49ers have two more days offensive install — 7 total, and today is 5. He repeats that he doesn’t anticipate Lance being able to look better than Garoppolo before the season opener.

There is a significant gap between CeeDee Lamb and everyone else. He’s having the best camp of anyone on the roster. When coach Mike McCarthy talks about noticing several second-year players making the leap in Year 2, Lamb has to be at the top of the list. Every practice seems to include at least one impressive Lamb highlight to go along with a handful of other noteworthy plays that he makes look effortless.

Lamb is a popular pick when it comes to wide receivers who are ready to make a huge jump. We rank Lamb 14th, right behind Amari Cooper at 13. While Lamb is the guy going before Cooper, we're not totally convinced that's the right call. In four games last year with Dak Prescott under center, Cooper out-targeted Lamb 23.4 to 16.7.

The notion that Trey Lance could overtake Jimmy Garoppolo early in the season, which seemed so farfetched on draft day and after OTAs, appears far more realistic today.

In short, Lance has been aggressive, which has to please head coach and play caller Kyle Shanahan, who — you may have read about this once or twice — prefers an always-attacking mentality, the story went on to say. Keep in mind, there have only been four practices, and Shanahan likely will be stingy in his praise of Lance. He’ll want to keep the pressure on the rookie the story said. This is certainly worth watching.

Dak Prescott could miss a few weeks with shoulder injury —

So far it's just a strain and Dak Prescott's timetable to return is only a few weeks. His injury is certainly something to monitor in the coming week, but for now, Prescott is still considered a Top-5 fantasy QB.

Cowboys and QB Dak Prescott have a deal.

Update: Cowboys are giving Dak Prescott a four-year, $160 million deal, including a record $126 million guaranteed, source tells ESPN.

The first three years average $42 million per year.

Still awaiting details of the contract, but a healthy Dak Prescott with his talented weapons lands him as a top-five QB for 2021.

Update: The contract is a four-year, $160 million deal, including a record $126 million of it guaranteed. The first three years average $42 million per season.

Vikings running back Dalvin Cook will miss Week 17 due to a family emergency.

Cook ends 2020 with another strong season in the books, accumulating over 1,900 total yards and 17 total touchdowns on one of the heaviest workloads in the league. Alexander Mattison will start Week 17 for the Vikings if he can get through concussion protocol before the weekend. Cook will return as a lock RB1 in 2021 fantasy drafts.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott will play in Week 16 against the Eagles.

Elliott missed Week 15 against the 49ers but was trending towards returning for what amounts to an elimination game against the Eagles, though a Washington win eliminates both teams. After Tony Pollard’s big day against the 49ers, Dallas could split the workload pretty evenly between the two. The down year for Elliott was empathized by Alvin Kamara scoring more touchdowns against the Vikings (6) than Elliott has scored all season (5). Both backs are flex options for championship week.