Faceoff - Who Is the Cowboys' WR2?

Posted 7/20, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Patrick Crayton - by David Baker

With the exodus of Terrell Owens and his ego out of Dallas, the Cowboys' most experienced wide receiver on their roster is Patrick Crayton. Some have argued that Crayton's role is more naturally suited for the slot and that his regression in numbers from the 2007 season to the 2008 season is a harbinger of what should be expected in 2009. And those same critics point to the fact that Crayton does not excel in any particular area. While those assumptions and opinions might contain varying degrees of truth, there are even more reasons to think that not only will Crayton retain the starting job in 2009, but that he will excel.

First of all, the Cowboys have made it relatively clear that the starting gig is Crayton's to lose. As long as he can perform, he'll keep the job. While that may be easier said than done, Crayton has been working diligently in the offseason to improve his strength, conditioning and explosion off the line. The results have been apparent to teammates and coaching staff alike. He has been working out at the Michael Johnson Performance Center to improve his hand-eye coordination and running form. While Crayton's numbers dropped a bit last year, which can at least partially be explained by the addition of Roy Williams eating into Crayton's playing time.

While there has been some discussion about the emergence of Miles Austin, Austin has been missing time with a hamstring injury. Health has been a concern for Austin and last year a knee injury in preseason affected him for the rest of the year. Austin may be capable of more electrifying play and grabs, Crayton has arguably more reliable hands and valuable playing experience.

Entering his sixth year with the Cowboys, this could be Crayton's time to finally shine. With QB Tony Romo healthy and Owens gone, someone besides TE Jason Witten will be catching passes. Since it may be doubtful that Roy Williams recaptures the magic of his 1,000 yard season, and Austin remains raw, inexperienced and battling hammy issues, Crayton could be the true value play. While the seemingly hip play has been to target Austin as the underrated guy for the Cowboys, Crayton seems more likely right now to end the season as the WR2 and could prove an especially handsome pick very late in fantasy drafts.

Miles Austin - by Sigmund Bloom

The release of Terrell Owens left a huge void in the Cowboys passing game, and judging by first partial season with the Cowboys, Roy Williams may not be up to the tasking of taking up the slack in the passing game. Even though Jason Witten is really the No. 1 receiver in the Cowboys offense, there's still some value to be mined by picking the right horse in the race to be the Cowboys No. 2 wide receiver. Signals given off by the organization, the history of the battle between Crayton and Austin for playing time, and risk/reward analysis all point to Miles Austin being the right pick if you're going to try to nail this situation late in your fantasy draft.

The most obvious and decisive sign that Austin is the best bet to land the Cowboys #2 wide receiver job is the word of the owner himself, Jerry Jones. Jones word is not to be taken lightly because we know his fingerprints are all over personnel decisions made by the team. When Jones was asked about the release of Owens, he said "It was about the chance of a Miles Austin. I think it's very important to see the development of Miles Austin...to see him be everything he can be." He continued to rave about Austin at the NFL owners meetings. When it came time to offer a tender to Austin, a restricted free agent, they offered him a second round tender - $1.545 million - very high for an undrafted free agent. When the Jets invited Austin for a visit, a sign that they thought he might be worth giving up the second-round pick, the Cowboys reportedly prepared a game plan to keep Austin. Jones thinks highly of Austin's skills, and he was willing to put his money where his mouth was.

Going back to 2008, Austin was in direct competition with Patrick Crayton for the No. 3 spot. His receiving game had improved greatly from his first and second years, and he was already splitting time with Crayton when he hurt his knee in week 11 vs. the Redskins, stopping his momentum towards completely taking the spot from Crayton. So, the last time we saw these two battle head-to-head, Austin was gaining on Crayton. Crayton has the lead for the No. 2 job right now because Austin was hurt during OTAs.

The final argument for taking Austin over Crayton is the kind of player each is. Crayton is best suited for the slot and short/intermediate routes. He might catch 50 or 60 balls as a No. 2 receiver, but he is unlikely to top 11 or 12 yards per catch. Austin is big (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) fast (speed in the 4.4s that translates to the field) and he can run deep routes or turn short catches into big gains. If the Cowboys No. 2 receiver is going to have fantasy relevance this year, it will be because it is occupied by the superior talent of Miles Austin.