News: The Cowboys released quarterback Stephen McGee from their 53-man roster and claimed tight end Colin Cochart off waivers from Cincinnati. The moves were announced Saturday as Dallas started practice four days before its season opener at the New York Giants. McGee's release moves Kyle Orton to the No. 2 quarterback spot on the depth chart behind starter Tony Romo.
Analysis: With seven-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten still questionable while recovering from a lacerated spleen, Cochart provides some extra depth at that position. McGee appeared in one game last season and completed 63.2 percent of his passes for one touchdown in a loss to Philadelphia. However, neither player was expected to make a major Fantasy impact this season. Leave them off all rosters at this point.
News: Dallas backup QB Stephen McGee took over in the first quarter in Week 16 versus Philadelphia after Tony Romo injured his right hand. McGee threw for 182 yards and one touchdown. His touchdown throw went to Miles Austin late in the game to end the shutout. The Cowboys lost the game, 20-7. McGee also scrambled four times for 28 yards and almost scored on of those runs.
Analysis: After Jon Kitna got injured, McGee moved up the depth chart. Unfortunately he's still a backup and is not worth owning, let alone starting in Week 17 against the Giants.
News: In his third year with the Dallas Cowboys, Stephen McGee has taken on a new role: baby sitter. As the quarterback of the third string, McGee has learned all the nuances of everyone else's role, and to make sure they know what to do before leaving the huddle. It's awfully nice of him - and pretty savvy, too, since he knows their mistakes get viewed as his. This is the next step in McGee's evolution from project to keeper.
Analysis: McGee enters the season knowing he will continue to back up Tony Romo and Jon Kitna. The lone perk is extended playing time in the preseason. He made the most of it during the opener, and he hopes to build on it Sunday night in a nationally televised game against the San Diego Chargers. That said, he has little Fantasy value at this time and should be ignored on Draft Day.
News: Cowboys QB Stephen McGee engineered a comeback for the team in the first preseason game of 2011, Thursday against the Broncos. He endured subpar offensive line play to throw for 208 yards while playing the majority of the game once Tony Romo and Jon Kitna each got a series in. McGee competed 14 of 24 passes for three scores, including the final one with less than 30 seconds remaining. Coach Jason Garrett elected to go for the win via two-point conversion, and McGee delivered the game-winner to Martin Rucker soon after. "We weren't exactly moving the ball up and down the field on offense, but Stephen hung in there," Garrett said. "He is able to keep plays alive because he moves so well. At the end of the game to string some positive plays together . was pretty darn good by him."
Analysis: McGee threw for over 200 yards and he ran for 25 on Thursday, earning a 109.0 QB rating in the process. He remains the No. 3 QB on the depth chart, but he continues to impress given the opportunity as he did late last season with the team's playoff hopes dashed. McGee won't play much in 2011 barring injury, but he remains a marginal option even if he does. Ignore the former Texas A&M standout on Draft Day.
News: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Cowboys QB Stephen McGee is the future backup to Tony Romo, but he will again be No. 3 in 2011 with Jon Kitna coming back. The Cowboys expressed their faith in McGee by not taking a quarterback in this year's draft. Kitna, who turns 39 in September, is not long for the job, leaving McGee as the apparent future backup to Tony Romo.
Analysis: McGee could be called on in spot duty again if Romo goes down and the Cowboys want to turn to him instead of Kitna. But even if that happens, McGee would not be worth using in the majority of leagues. Ignore him on Draft Day.
News: Cowboys QB Stephen McGee got the first start of his career in Week 17 against the Eagles and made it a memorable one. He started off slow, throwing for just 33 yards in the first half, but threw a late touchdown pass to TE Jason Witten to lead Dallas to the 14-13 win. McGee finished 11 of 27 for 127 yards with the lone score. He also carried the ball nine times, gaining 55 yards in the victory.
Analysis: McGee did not always look the sharpest in Week 17, but he played tough and ended up grinding out the win in the end. He has now thrown for 238 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in his first two games and will likely serve as the No. 2 QB behind Tony Romo next season. McGee has a lot of similarities with Romo, especially in the running department, but he is still a work in progress and is not ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. As long as he is a backup in Dallas, the 25-year-old will continue to have minimal Fantasy value. Plan on ignoring him on Draft Day in 2011, unless he lands a starting job somewhere in the league.
News: Cowboys QB Stephen McGee got the start in Week 17 against the Eagles, even though Jon Kitna (abdomen) was active. Kitna served as the backup. Philadelphia ranks 16th in the league against the pass, allowing over 223 yards per contest, and have given up an average of 18.8 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
Analysis: McGee starting for the Cowboys against the Eagles was expected, and it makes sense for Dallas to give him an extended look since he could be the future No. 2 QB behind Tony Romo, who is out with a broken collarbone. Keep an eye on how he does as Philadelphia will likely rest several defensive starters. He should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy option in the majority of leagues even though he has some upside to deliver a decent stat line.
News:Jon Kitna is listed as questionable for the Cowboys' season finale. He did not practice Friday, increasing the odds that quarterback Stephen McGee will make the first start of his NFL career Sunday in Philadelphia. Kitna hasn't practiced all week because of a muscle in his side that hurts when he throws. Interim coach Jason Garrett said Kitna will make the trip to Philadelphia, so it's still possible he could play and perhaps even start.
Analysis: We expect McGee to start for the Cowboys against the Eagles, and it makes sense for Dallas to give him an extended look since he could be the future No. 2 QB behind Tony Romo, who is out with a broken collarbone. Keep an eye on what happens with Kitna, but plan on McGee playing against the Eagles, who will likely rest several defensive starters. He should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy option in the majority of leagues even though he has some upside to deliver a decent stat line.
News: Cowboys QB Jon Kitna has missed a second straight day of practice, making it less likely he will play the season finale. Stephen McGee ran the first-team offense Thursday and would make his first career start Sunday at Philadelphia if Kitna isn't healthy. Kitna is dealing with a strained muscle in his side that makes it difficult for him to throw. He was injured while throwing a touchdown pass in the first half of a loss to Arizona on Saturday night. McGee played the second half and did well in his NFL debut. Interim coach Jason Garrett said Kitna was "walking around OK," but the club would wait at least another day before making a decision on his availability.
Analysis: We expect McGee to start for the Cowboys against the Eagles, and it makes sense for Dallas to give him an extended look since he could be the future No. 2 QB behind Tony Romo, who is out with a broken collarbone. Keep an eye on what happens with Kitna, but plan on McGee playing against the Eagles. He should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy option in the majority of leagues.
News:Stephen McGee has taken a step toward becoming the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys this weekend. For the first time in his two-year career, McGee ran the first-team offense Wednesday. Jon Kitna watched from the sideline in street clothes. Interim coach Jason Garrett has said Kitna would start Sunday against Philadelphia if he's healthy. He has a strained abdominal muscle.
Analysis: There's a shot that whoever commands the Cowboys offense in Week 17 puts up decent numbers as the Eagles are expected to rest some starters (maybe all of them) on both sides of the ball. If McGee ends up getting the nod a lot of owners will have a hard time trusting him in Week 17 Fantasy play, but he has some legit potential for a two-touchdown game. Kitna would be a more stable No. 2 Fantasy QB, but he has to practice first before being a consideration.
News: The Dallas Morning News reports that Cowboys interim coach Jason Garrett said Monday that Jon Kitna (strained oblique) might be able to start in Week 17 at Philadelphia if he's healthy. Kitna was injured in Week 16 at Arizona. Stephen McGee, who began the season as the third QB on the depth chart, was forced to play the remainder of the Cardinals game and could start if Kitna's condition does not improve before Sunday's game against Philadelphia. The team plans to monitor Kitna's progress throughout the week. "His health will be the No. 1 factor at play," Garrett said. "Can he play? Can he practice well enough to play in this game on Sunday? So that's the No. 1 consideration. If he's not able to do that, we will play Stephen. But if he's able to do that, Jon will be our quarterback."
Analysis: We expect McGee to start for the Cowboys against the Eagles, and it makes sense for Dallas to give him an extended look since he could be the future No. 2 QB behind Tony Romo, who is out with a broken collarbone. Keep an eye on what happens with Kitna, but plan on McGee playing against the Eagles. He should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy option in the majority of leagues.
News: The Dallas Morning News reports that the Cowboys will likely use Stephen McGee as the starting QB for Week 17 at Philadelphia with Jon Kitna (strained oblique) not expected to play. Kitna was hurt in Saturday's loss at Arizona. This will be McGee's first NFL start, and the Cowboys plan to sign QB Chris Greisen to the practice squad Monday and quickly try to bring him up to speed. Dallas will prepare Greisen to be the backup for Sunday's finale, meaning Kitna could be inactive.
Analysis: McGee played well in reserve of Kitna in the Week 16 loss to the Cardinals. McGee started the second half and finished the game 11 of 17 passing for 111 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. If he does start as expected he is worth using as a sleeper in deeper two-QB leagues, but he should not be considered a starter in standard formats at this time of year based on his inexperience.
News: Dallas QB Stephen McGee was called upon to enter the Week 16 game in Arizona just before halftime after starter Jon Kitna suffered an injury. McGee was in for one series before Kitna led a touchdown drive in his return. Kitna would never come back in the game as a hip injury kept him out. McGee started the second half and finished the game 11 of 17 for 111 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He almost led the Cowboys to one of the team's most impressive comeback victories until David Buehler missed an extra point and the Cardinals won on a last-second field goal. His TD pass was very late in the fourth to Miles Austin for 37 yards. It was the go-ahead score at the time and his first touchdown pass as a professional.
Analysis: McGee did not prove all that successful in the Week 16 game despite helping lead a nice comeback by the Cowboys until the final field goal gave the game to the Cardinals. Dallas did most of the damage on the ground, as most teams do against Arizona. We believe that Kitna will be back for Week 17 at Philadelphia. Even if he isn't McGee is not going to be worth using in Fantasy.
News: Dallas has listed the following players as inactive for Week 17 against Philadelphia: DB Cletis Gordon, DL Curtis Johnson, QB Stephen McGee (3rd QB), DB Pat Watkins and LB Jason Williams.
Analysis: Watkins is not a relevant option in IDP formats and should continue to be ignored. None of the players listed above have any Fantasy value. Leave them all on waivers heading into next season.
News: The Cowboys have listed the following players as inactive for the Week 16 game at Washington on Sunday night: QB Stephen McGee, S Pat Watkins, CB Cletis Gordon, S Mike Hamlin and LB Curtis Johnson.
Analysis: None of these players have any Fantasy value, so continue to ignore them in all formats.
News: The Cowboys have listed the following players as inactive for Week 15 at New Orleans: QB Stephen McGee, DB Pat Watkins, DB Cletis Gordon, TE Martellus Bennett and DL Curtis Johnson.
Analysis: None of these players have any Fantasy value, so continue to ignore them in all formats.
News: Cowboys QB Stephen McGee, DB Ken Hamlin, DB Cletis Gordon, TE Martellus Bennett and DL Curtis Johnson have all been ruled inactive for Week 14 vs. San Diego.
Analysis: Bennett (concussion) is the only name that really jumps out on this list. He is a nice receiving option for Cowboys when he is active, but he still doesn't light up the stat sheet. He has low-end Fantasy appeal. Make sure to keep all these players reserved for Week 14. Most of them have little to no Fantasy appeal.
News: The Cowboys listed the following players as inactive for Week 13 at the N.Y. Giants: QB Stephen McGee, DB Ken Hamlin, DB Cletis Gordon, LB Jason Williams, DL Curtis Johnson.
Analysis: None of the players listed here have any real Fantasy appeal. Leave them reserved in all leagues until further notice.
News: The Cowboys inactives for Week 12 against Oakland include 3rd QB Stephen McGee, S Ken Hamlin, CB Cletis Gordon, LB Jason Williams and LB Curtis Johnson.
Analysis: Keep these players reserved for Week 12 against the Raiders. When active they have minimal Fantasy value.
News: The Cowboys listed the following players as inactive for Week 11 against the Redskins: QB Stephen McGee (3rd QB), DB Ken Hamlin, DB Allen Rossum, LB Jason Williams and DL Curtis Johnson.
Analysis: Hamlin wasn't much of a Fantasy factor in the first place -- the Cowboys defense will miss him more than Fantasy owners. Keep him and the rest of the players listed above off Fantasy rosters across the board.
News: The Cowboys' list of inactives for Week 10 at Green Bay includes QB Stephen McGee, DB Allen Rossum, DB Mike Hamlin, LB Steve Octavien and LB Jason Williams.
Analysis: None of these players ever contributes enough statistically to matter in Fantasy. Leave them all on waivers.
News: Dallas has listed the following players as inactive for Week 9 at Philadelphia on Sunday night: DB Allen Rossum, DB Mike Hamlin, LB Steve Octavien, LB Jason Williams and QB Stephen McGee (3rd QB).
Analysis: Rossum is not a relevant Fantasy option in IDP formats and can continue to be ignored across the board with the rest of the players listed above.
News: The Cowboys listed the following players as inactive for Week 8 against Seattle: QB Stephen McGee, DB Allen Rossum, DB Mike Hamlin, LB Jason William and DL Curtis Johnson.
Analysis: None of the players on this list are considered viable Fantasy options. Leave them on the waiver wire in all leagues until further notice.
News: The Cowboys' list of inactives for Week 7 against the Falcons includes DB Mike Hamlin, LB Jason Williams, WR Kevin Ogletree, DL Curtis Johnson and QB Stephen McGee.
Analysis: None of these players contributes enough statistically to matter in Fantasy even when active. Leave them all on waivers.
News: Game-day inactives for the Cowboys in Kansas City: WR Roy Williams, RB Felix Jones, S Mike Hamlin, S Gerald Sensabaugh, G Montrae Holland, T Pat McQuistan and LB Curtis Johnson. The inactive third quarterback is Stephen McGee.
Analysis: Williams and Jones are the only Fantasy players listed that have any real Fantasy value.
News: The Cowboys' list of inactives for Week 4 at Denver includes QB Stephen McGee, DB Mike Hamlin, WR Kevin Ogletree and DL Curtis Johnson.
Analysis: None of these players contributes enough statistically to matter in Fantasy even when active. Leave them all on waivers.
News: The Cowboys inactives for the Giants game Sunday at Dallas are QB Stephen McGee (third QB), S Mike Hamlin, LB Jason Williams, WR Kevin Ogletree and LB Curtis Johnson.
Analysis: Keep all of these players reserved for Week 2 against the Giants. They have minimal Fantasy value when active.
News: The Cowboys have listed DB Mike Hamlin, LB Jason Williams, WR Kevin Ogletree, DL Curtis Johnson and QB Stephen McGee (third QB) as inactive for Week 1 at Tampa Bay.
Analysis: There are really no surprises here. Most of these guys are either reserves or special teams contributors. It's safe to keep them off Fantasy rosters for Week 1.
News: The Dallas Morning News reports Cowboys rookie QB Stephen McGee missed Saturday's preseason game against the 49ers with a knee injury. McGee said he would miss three weeks.
Analysis: McGee has a chance to be the No. 3 QB for the Cowboys behind Tony Romo and Jon Kitna. Don't draft McGee in any leagues since he's not going to play much.
News: The Cowboys took Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee with a third-round pick in the 2009 draft. McGee was a regular member of All-Conference academic teams as he was bright on and off the field. A should injury derailed his 2008 season, limiting him to just three games. But McGee was a solid passer -- he threw just 13 passes over 815 passing attempts -- and he also ran for 1,750 yards on 387 attempts throughout his career.
Analysis: Certainly the Cowboys envision him as the prototype backup for Tony Romo, especially since McGee has quick feet like Romo. McGee is well worth a late-round pick in rookie-only drafts as part of dynasty/keeper leagues, but that's about it. He'll likely become the Cowboys' backup QB in a year or two.
News: Dallas drafted Texas A&M's Stephen McGee in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, the first QB the team has drafted since taking Quincy Carter in 2001. McGee threw for 4,889 yards and rushed for 1,800 more in his first three seasons with the Aggies but made only three starts in 2008 after suffering a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. "I really expected to go in the third round," said McGee, who was taken with the first pick of the fourth round. "I had a lot of things happen in my career that I couldn't control. Despite all that, I'm thrilled to go to the Cowboys."
Analysis: McGee has a chance to be the No. 3 QB for the Cowboys behind Tony Romo and Jon Kitna. Don't draft McGee in any leagues since he's not going to play much.
