Analyze Dak Prescott's matchup for week 10
Prescott is on BYE in Week 10 and has cratered of late—188-0-2 vs. Denver, 5 sacks, 48 % pressure rate—so keep him benched until he shows the turnovers and pocket panic are fixed.
Dallas is idle in Week 10, so Prescott can’t help you this Sunday. When he returns in Week 11 he draws a Raiders defense that’s been average versus QBs, but the bigger story is his own collapse: multiple picks in back-to-back games, passer rating sliced from 130-plus to 51.5, and an offensive line that suddenly leaks free rushers on nearly half his drops. The extra week could reset mechanics and protection calls, yet fantasy managers have to see proof before trusting him as anything more than a desperate QB2.
After a hot start (three-TD games vs. Washington and Carolina), Prescott has nose-dived: 188 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT vs. Denver, 5 sacks, 48 % pressure rate, QB-rating of 51.5—his worst two-week stretch since early 2024.
Prescott’s first five weeks had fantasy GMs crowning him a set-and-forget QB1. He was comfortably over 20 fantasy points three times, protected well, and pushed the ball downfield to CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens with confidence. The mid-season cliff has been stark: protection has evaporated (five sacks vs. Denver, highest pressure rate of his career the week before), and his mechanics have unraveled—footwork drifts, eyes come down early, and the ball is sailing into coverage. Two straight multi-pick games have tanked his passer rating and his fantasy output to low-double digits.
The bye lands at a useful time. Dallas has two weeks to shuffle the O-line, self-scout protections, and perhaps add a deadline piece to aid the defense so the offense isn’t playing from panic every week. On paper the Cowboys still boast elite weapons and a play-caller who wants to be aggressive; that ceiling keeps Prescott rostered in all formats. But desperation can cut both ways: more drop-back volume is great if he’s clean, yet if the line hasn’t fixed its communication issues, faster tempo just raises the interception floor.
Week 11 versus Las Vegas shapes up as a prove-it spot. The Raiders enter allowing the 18th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, generated only seven interceptions so far, and just traded away a starting edge rusher—hardly a lock-down matchup. If Prescott returns with calmer feet and gets the ball out on time, a 275-plus-yard, multiple-TD blow-up is in range. Until we actually see that version of him, the prudent move is to leave him on your bench, stream a safer option, and let him rebuild trust before fantasy playoffs arrive.