The Dallas Cowboys are stuck in the mud. After two straight losses in which they didn’t come close to winning either game, Dallas sits with a 2-4 record, desperately needing a win in Week 7.
If the Cowboys want to turn this around, they’ll need to mix some things up this week against the Eagles. With that thought in mind, here are two players the Cowboys should use more on Monday night in Philly.
1) WR George Pickens
After a career year in 2025, expectations were sky-high for George Pickens entering his second season in Dallas.
Many believed Pickens, the Cowboys’ best receiver last season, was ready to add consistency and take the next step to become one of the NFL’s elite receiving threats.
Unfortunately for both Pickens and the Cowboys, that hasn’t happened yet. Six games into the 2026 season, the 25-year-old wideout is yet to have a true breakout game, and his numbers year over year are down in every statistical category.
2025 (6 games): 48 targets, 32 receptions, 66.7% catch rate, 525 receiving yards, 16.4 Y/R, 6 touchdowns
2026 (6 games): 52 targets, 33 receptions, 63.5% catch rate, 428 receiving yards, 13.0 Y/R, 1 touchdown
The thing that made Pickens so dominant during his first season in Dallas was his ability to make big plays down the field. So far in 2026, the wideout has recorded just three receptions of 20+ yards. To Pickens’ credit, he has only been given seven such chances this year, a number that should be exponentially higher.
This week, facing off against a talented Eagles’ defense, the Cowboys need to make it a focal point to get Pickens involved early and often. Dallas’ offense is struggling, and giving Pickens consistent chances to make game-changing catches (or drawing flags) down the field could be just what they need to get out of their offensive rut.
2) LB Shemar James
One of the more impressive defenders for Dallas last week was linebacker Shermar James. After Dee Winters left the game early with an Achilles injury, James was thrust into a critical role in Dallas’ defense and performed well. The linebacker was tied for the team lead with three defensive stops, along with four tackles and an 80.0 tackling grade.
While it appears the Cowboys will get DeMarvion Overshown back this week, they need to find a way to keep James consistently in the linebacker rotation. The former fifth-round pick has serious limitations in coverage, but his ability to be a sure tackler has been superior to rookie Jaishawn Barham, who has missed at least one tackle in every game this season.
On run downs, the Cowboys should keep James on the field and see if he can turn his solid performance in Week 6 into a positive trend moving forward.
