Dallas
Cowboys

News: Austin had one catch in Sunday's win over the Eagles, but it was big _ a 49-yard game-winning touchdown pass.
Impact: Austin, who is quickly becoming the team's No. 1 wide receiver, has scored six TDs in his last four games and should be considered a No. 2 receiver on most fantasy teams.

News: Romo finished 21 of 34 for 307 yards, one TD and one interception in Sunday's win over Philadelphia.
Impact: Romo is hot right now, and a must fantasy starter every week. He's thrown nine TDs and one interception in his last four games.

News: Ratliff (knee) had a huge game Sunday, collecting five tackles and two sacks and leading the Cowboys' defensive line to stuff the Eagles on a number of third- and fourth-down short yardage situations.
Impact: DeMarcus Ware is the superstar, but Ratliff is arguably the heart of the Cowboys' defense, and he showed why Sunday. He's not a great IDP play, but if Dallas' D/ST unit continues to play at a high level Ratliff will be a big reason why.

News: Witten led the Cowboys with seven catches, although they went for just 43 yards, in Sunday's 21-16 win over the Eagles.
Impact: He couldn't get much separation against Philadelphia's linebacking corps, but was still Tony Romo's favorite target when the Cowboys needed a first down. Witten is now on pace for 88 catches, but his 8.9 yards per catch would be the lowest of his career, and he still hasn't found the end zone since Week 2. It's possible that six-plus seasons in the trenches have caused Witten to lose a step, and his days of being one of the elite fantasy tight ends are drawing to a close.

News: Austin caught just one pass Sunday but it was the biggest catch of the game, a 49-yard bomb that went for the winning touchdown in a 21-16 victory over the Eagles.
Impact: That's now six TDs in his last four games for the Cowboys' new number one wide receiver, although Austin's targets and catches have been in decline since his Week 5 breakout against the Chiefs as opposition defenses are now paying a lot more attention to him (he essentially beat triple coverage Sunday on his TD reception). He's still a must-start in most formats, but don't be too shocked if his four game TD streak ends next week in Green Bay.

News: Williams had a solid game Sunday, catching five passes for 75 yards.
Impact: The Cowboys solved the problem of getting Williams and Tony Romo on the same page by not really having Williams run any longer routes, as he did most of his damage on quick slants and flanker screens. He won't turn into a Wes Welker clone overnight, but if you've stuck with him this long Williams could have some value in that kind of role.

News: Jones was a non-factor Sunday, carrying the ball just four times for 10 yards.
Impact: Marion Barber returned to form in the fourth quarter and the Cowboys elected to stick with the hot hand. Jones will get some touches, but it's impossible to predict week-to-week when they might show up.

News: Barber (thumb) carried the ball 12 times for 50 yards Sunday, and caught three passes for 20 yards.
Impact: It's not an impressive stat line but Barber looked like Marion the Barbarian again in the fourth quarter, gashing the Eagles defense for multiple long gains. The Cowboys face another top-10 rush defense on the road next week when they travel to Green Bay, but now that he finally appears fully healthy Barber could be gearing up for a big game.

News: Romo completed 21-of-34 passes Sunday for 307 yards, with one TD and one interception.
Impact: The Cowboys' offense seems to have found its rhythm, and Romo now has a 9:1 TD:INT ratio and is averaging 306.3 yards passing over his last four games.

News: Jason Witten caught a game-high seven passes for 43 yards in Dallas' Week 9 win over the Eagles.
Impact: Witten has had a frustrating season. He saw the most action in Sunday's game, but still wound up with less yards and touchdowns than Miles Austin, who caught just one ball. That's the way it's gone for the elite tight end, and Romo's former favorite target is averaging just 49 yards per week and has only one touchdown on the season.

News: Roy Williams grabbed five passes for 75 yards and was the Cowboys leading receiver in their 20-16 win over the Eagles.
Impact: Williams sure made a lot of noise before this game, so at least he produced to some extent. Owners would have liked a touchdown, but at least he provided some production this week. The five catches were a season high.

News: Tashard Choice rushed the ball three times for 13 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for eight yards in Sunday's 20-16 win over the Eagles.
Impact: All of Choice's production came in the first half and his touchdown was a result of the Cowboys running the wildcat. In the second half, Marion Barber got bulk of the carries and Choice rode the pine. With Felix Jones handling all the return duties, Choice is sort of the fantasy odd man out.

News: Marion Barber rushed 12 times for 50 yards and came down with three passes for 20 yards in Week 9.
Impact: Barber's 70 total yards were the most he's scored in a game since he broke loose for 124 yards in Week 2. He's no longer the fantasy stalwart he was in the days that he was the uncontested go-to-guy in the Cowboy's backfield, but he's still worth a flex play or RB2 spot in deep leagues.

News: Miles Austin caught just one pass in Sunday's 20-16 win over the Eagles, but it went for a 49-yard touchdown.
Impact: Austin and Tony Romo are as thick as thieves now and the two have teamed up for six touchdowns in the last four weeks. The breakout receiver has now caught 22 passes over that span and has gone from a fringe roster spot to one of the more reliable every-week receivers in the fantasy world.

News: Tony Romo propelled the Cowboys to a road win and first place in the NFC East on Sunday night. He completed 21-of-34 passes for 307 yards and a touchdown in a 20-16 win over the Eagles.
Impact: Romo's only touchdown was to (guess who?) Miles Austin and the two have now hooked up in four straight games for six scores. Romo threw a pick in the game as well, but with the yardage and the TD he still had decent fantasy numbers on the day, especially considering the Eagles pass rush resulted in four sacks.

News: Ratliff (knee) is active for Sunday's game against the Eagles.
Impact: Ratliff can help out with the occasional sack (he has two QB take-downs thus far), but he has just 18 tackles in seven games to date.

News: Barber (thumb) is active for Sunday's game against the Eagles.
Impact: Barber, who has four TDs in six games, hasn't topped 53 rushing yards since Week 2, but his thumb injury no longer seems to be a major concern.

News: Gerald Sensabaugh fully practiced all week and is expected to start Sunday's game at Philadelphia, according to the Cowboys' official website.
Impact: He is not being bothered by his surgically-repaired thumb. Sensabaugh is inconsistent, but should be productive enough to employ in IDP lineups.

News: DeMarcus Ware is probable for Sunday's NFC East battle at Philadelphia, according to the Cowboys' official website.
Impact: He is dealing with a stress fracture in his foot, but is expected to start. Ware chipped in five sacks so far this season, and will be counted on to slow down opposing quarterback Donovan McNabb.

News: Ratliff (knee) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Philadelphia, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: He's not a very high-percentage fantasy play, but the potential for a sack or two makes him a deep sleeper option.

News: Barber (thumb) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Philadelphia, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Barber has been hovering around 15 carries per game and hasn't topped 53 rushing yards since Week 2, but the thumb injury no longer seems to be a concern.

News: Ware (foot) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Philadelphia, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: After a slow start, Ware rediscovered his pass-rushing prowess in mid-October and rattled off five sacks in three games. He is safe to deploy on Sunday.

News: According to Dallascowboys.com, running back Marion Barber practiced in full on Thursday and was not hampered by his thumb injury.
Impact: Barber has a fractured left thumb, but has practiced in full the last two days. The injury hasn't kept him out the last two weeks at all, even though he had just 14 carries against the Seahawks last Sunday. He's recovered from the quad strain that he suffered earlier in the year as well and is apparently showing "more juice" in his runs now.

News: Cowboy's linebacker DeMarcus Ware practiced in full on Thursday and wasn't limited by his foot injury.
Impact: Ware has been dealing with the foot issue for a while, but it hasn't cost him any time on game day. The Cowboy's most dangerous defender is having a fine season so far with 26 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles, and is a great play in IDP leagues.

News: Williams skipped to a slightly different tune this week by saying he still considers himself the No. 1 receiver despite mounting evidence to the contrary. He said "things are just going No. 2's way," referring to Miles Austin.
Impact: The less-celebrated Austin has more yards and touchdowns in the past three games than Williams has in his first 16 with the Cowboys. Austin set an NFL record with 482 yards in his first three starts, while Williams has 447 yards for the equivalent of a full season in Dallas. He backtracked on comments that suggested quarterback Tony Romo's throws are accurate to Austin and all over the place to him.

News: Return specialist Allen Rossum is expected to miss the Cowboys' Week 9 game against the Eagles due to a hamstring injury, according to the team's official website. Rossum did not participate in practice on Wednesday.
Impact: The team doesn't expect Rossum to be ready this week for sure, and there is also some fear that he might miss an additional game or two. They should be able to manage without him, as his role on the team was limited.

News: Ratliff (knee) participated fully in practice Wednesday.
Impact: Ratliff should be out there on Sunday night considering that he played through the injury last week. His sack potential makes him a possible fantasy option, but he's more of a last resort than someone you would rely upon regularly.

News: Barber (thumb) participated fully in practice Wednesday.
Impact: Felix Jones is snapping up about a third of the carries for Dallas, but Barber still gets enough work to be a viable RB2 in most formats. The thumb injury is not a concern at this point.

News: Ware foot is listed on Wednesday's injury report, but participated fully in practice.
Impact: The stress fracture in Ware's foot clearly isn't harming his production, as he has five sacks in his last three games. He'll be fine for Sunday night's tilt with Philadelphia.

News: Ogletree caught his first NFL pass Sunday, a 19-yard reception in the fourth quarter of a 38-17 win over the Seahawks.
Impact: It was a garbage time target, but Ogletree will take it nonetheless. He's got a lot of work to do just to stick as a regular part of the 53-man roster, much less win a steady role on offense, but with Miles Austin blowing up expect the Cowboys to be patient with their latest undrafted free agent WR.

News: Ware (foot) picked up his fifth sack of the season Sunday, all of them coming in his last three games.
Impact: Stress fracture? What stress fracture? Ware remains a beast despite his foot injury, and it's probably not a coincidence that the Cowboys' defense, and team as a whole, have come alive over the last three games just as Ware has woken up.

News: Brooking recorded 11 tackles and a sack in Sunday's win over the Seahawks.
Impact: His career high in sacks was 3.5 coming into this season, but with two through seven games Brooking looks to have a shot at setting a new personal best in that category. His 50 tackles so far aren't too shabby either.

News: Jones carried the ball eight times Sunday for 39 yards, and also had one reception for 30 yards.
Impact: When he's healthy his per-touch yardage is as good as anyone in the NFL's, but he's still not seeing enough touches to be a reliable fantasy player.

News: Williams (ribs) caught just two passes Sunday for 19 yards, but did score a touchdown.
Impact: On the bright side, at least he was targeted in the red zone. Despite what it cost the team to get him from Detroit last season, Williams remains an afterthought in the Cowboys' offense.

News: Austin fell back to earth Sunday against the Seahawks but still stayed productive, leading the Cowboys with five catches for 61 yards and a TD.
Impact: He's Tony Romo's favorite target at the moment, so treat Austin as an every-week starter and not just a fill-in when your bigger names are hurt or on a bye.

News: Barber (thumb) ran the ball 14 times for 53 yards Sunday with a touchdown.
Impact: The Cowboys spread the ball around this week as five different players ran the ball (not counting a 10 yard Tony Romo scramble) and 10 different players caught passes, but Barber was still able to be productive with the touches he got. Dallas may lean more heavily on their running game next week against the blitz-happy Eagles, so Barber could be in line for a bigger day.

News: Romo was sharp once again Sunday, completing 21-of-36 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions, in Sunday's win over Seattle.
Impact: The hot-and-cold Romo is running very hot right now, posting an 8:0 TD:INT ratio over the Cowboys' last three games. He'll get a tougher test next week against the Eagles, however.

News: For the second time in as many weeks Crayton returned a punt for a touchdown, helping to cap the Cowboys' 38-17 win over the Seahawks Sunday.
Impact: He also caught three passes for 39 yards. His role in the offense remains small, but Crayton's proving he can make things happen when he gets the ball in his hands, which could give Tony Romo some more confidence in him.

News: Austin scored for a third straight game, helping Dallas beat Seattle 38-17 on Sunday.
Impact: Austin has become Tony Romo's new favorite target, catching 21 passes for 482 yards and five TDs in his last three games.

News: Romo threw touchdown passes to three receivers in Dallas' 38-17 win over Seattle on Sunday.
Impact: Romo didn't throw an interception for a career-best third consecutive game. He has eight TD passes in that span.

News: Miles Austin had five receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown in the Week 8 win over Seattle.
Impact: Over the last three games, Austin has compiled 21 receptions for 482 yards and five touchdowns. He was the invisible man for the first month of the 2009 season, but has morphed into a fantasy stud since entering the starting lineup in Week 5.

News: Tony Romo completed 21-of-36 passes for 256 yards with three touchdowns against zero interceptions in the Week 8 home victory over Seattle.
Impact: After leading the Cowboys to wins in four of the last five games, Romo is starting to quiet some of his critics. He is also making his fantasy owners happy with eight touchdowns against zero interceptions in the last three contests.

News: Week 8 inactives: Stephen McGee (3rd), DB Allen Rossum, S Mike Hamlin, LB Jason Williams, OG Montrae Holland, OC Duke Preston, OT Pat McQuistan, and DE Curtis Johnson.
Impact: RB Marion Barber (thumb) is active and will start. On defense, LB DeMarcus Ware (foot), DT Jay Ratliff (knee) and SS Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) are all active and will start.

News: Barring a setback in warmups before the Week 8 game against the Seattle Seahawks, defensive tackle Jay Ratliff will start and play, league sources tell Jason La Canfora of NFL.com.
Impact: Good news for the Cowboys interior line, as Ratliff is one of the few nose tackles in the league who can collapse the pocket on passing downs and provide stout run support. He has registered 2.0 sacks in his last four games.

News: Ware (foot) is active for Sunday's game against the Seahawks.
Impact: Ware has been practicing fully this week, so the injury should not slow him down at all. He is always a threat to pick up a sack or two, so feel free to use him as you see fit.

News: Barber (thumb) is active for Sunday's game against the Seahawks.
Impact: The thumb has not really been a problem for Barber, and he remains the lead back in Dallas.

News: Ratliff is expected to play on Sunday despite being listed as questionable, according to ESPN's Matt Mosley.
Impact: A team source claimed he'd be "shocked" if Ratliff didn't play this week. Coach Wade Phillips wasn't as liberal, saying "We think it's something that will get better. How quickly is the question."

News: Jones is expected to be the Cowboys' primary kickoff returner Sunday against the Seahawks, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Impact: Jones isn't listed on the injury report this week, but this still seems like an unnecessary risk for the Cowboys to be taking, especially if rookie WR Kevin Ogletree (23.5 yard average on four kickoff returns in Week 5) is active.

News: Barber (thumb) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Seattle, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Barber's thumb doesn't seem to be a worry, but he still doesn't seem to have quite the burst he did before his quad injury. His numbers should improve as he gradually gets healthier, and he can safely be deployed on Sunday.

News: Ware (foot) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Seattle, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Ware didn't seem bothered by the injury last week and we can assume he'll be uninhibited again on Sunday.

News: Ratliff suffered a knee injury in Thursday's practice and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Seattle, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Junior Siavii would start at nose tackle if Ratliff can't play.

News: Rossum is out two to four weeks because of a hamstring injury sustained on his first return with the Dallas Cowboys.
Impact: Rossum was supposed to handle kickoffs and punts but went down in the first quarter Sunday against Atlanta. Felix Jones will be the primary kickoff returner and Patrick Crayton will handle punts. Crayton returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown against the Falcons.

News: Williams (ribs) does not appear on Dallas' Wednesday injury report.
Impact: The rapid rise of Miles Austin is making people forget about Williams in Dallas, including Tony Romo, who connected with Williams just once in last week's win over Atlanta. Even with the rib injury no longer a worry, Williams is low-end WR3 or flex option in most leagues this week.

News: Ware (foot) participated fully in practice Wednesday, the Cowboys' official site reports.
Impact: Ware picked up two sacks despite the injury last week, so we aren't worried about his Week 8 status. Feel free to start him on Sunday.

News: Barber (thumb) participated fully in practice Wednesday, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Barber's thumb wasn't an issue last week and he should be fine going forward. Another positive sign is that his quad injury is not mentioned on the injury report.

News: Rossum will miss two to four weeks with a hamstring injury, the Associated Press reports.
Impact: Rossum injured his hamstring on his first kick return as a Cowboy, immediately derailing his Dallas career. With Rossum out, Felix Jones will handle kickoff returns and Patrick Crayton will field punts.

News: With Allen Rossum ruled out for Sunday's game against Seattle, Crayton will remain the Cowboys' primary punt returner, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: His 73-yard TD return versus the Falcons last Sunday helped net him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. "There you go," Crayton said of winning the punt return job back by default last week. "I've been dealing with that my whole career. He can't get it done. He's too slow. He can't run. He ain't fast. He ain't a deep threat. We've got him back there to catch punt returns because he can catch them. Not really to score, just to catch them. Good. I appreciate that." Crayton seems to stay more focused when he has a chip on his shoulder, so he could carry the momentum he built up in Week 7 forward.

News: Dallas signed Ware (foot) to a six-year contract extension worth around $13 million per year with around $40 million in guarantees, FOXSports.com reports.
Impact: Despite playing with a stress fracture in his foot, Ware has quickly regained his 2008 form after failing to make a sack in the first four weeks. He has four sacks in Dallas' last two games, including two sacks and a forced fumble Sunday against the Falcons. Ware is one of the absolute top players in the league at any position, and this extension is good news for the Cowboys' franchise. With this deal, Ware is signed through 2015.

News: Romo recorded his second straight 300-yard performance and connected on three touchdowns in the Cowboys' 37-21 win over visiting Atlanta on Sunday. He finished 21 of 29 for 311 yards.
Impact: The emergence of wide receiver Miles Austin has benefited Romo the most. Completions to Austin have accounted for 421 of his 662 yards in the past two games. Austin has also caught four of Romo's five TDs, including three of 59 yards or more.

News: Austin had another spectacular performance in the Cowboys' 37-21 win over visiting Atlanta on Sunday, finishing with eight catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
Impact: Since moving into the starting lineup two weeks ago, Austin has 421 yards and four TDs on 16 receptions. Three of those scores have been of 59 yards or more. It's say to safe Austin is turning into the Cowboys' top threat.

News: Ware and the Dallas Cowboys have reportedly agreed on a contract extension. FOXSports.com reported the extension was a six-year deal worth nearly $13 million per season and approaching $40 million in guaranteed money.
Impact: Ware was the NFL's sacks leader last season with 20. He has four in the last two games after being shut out the first four this season.

News: James led the Cowboys with seven tackles on Sunday.
Impact: He's on pace for his fourth straight 100+ tackle season (40 through six games) but with only one sack so far, he's back to being a bye-week replacement in IDP leagues rather than the every-week starter he was last season.

News: Folk was perfect on Sunday, connecting on all three of his field goal attempts (from 34, 38 and 46 yards) and four PATs.
Impact: The Cowboys' offense is healthy again and firing on all cylinders with Miles Austin's emergence as a deep threat at wide receiver for Tony Romo. Folk has done well so far with 49 points through six games (11-of-13 on FGs including a long of 51 yards, and 16-of-16 on PATs) but he could easily pick up that pace if the offense stays hot.

News: Jenkins recorded six tackles and an interception in Sunday's win over the Falcons, and also laid out Marty Booker with a thunderous hit.
Impact: Although no penalty was called on the play expect Jenkins to hear from the league office about a fine. The second-year corner has stepped up his level of play this season, although he's not yet an IDP asset (21 tackles and two picks through six games).

News: Ware (foot) picked up two more sacks Sunday, giving him four in his last two games.
Impact: 2008's NFL sack leader has rebounded with a vengeance after a slow start to the season, and the stress fracture in his foot didn't seem to be hampering him at all. Use him with confidence.

News: Bennett caught three passes for 32 yards Sunday.
Impact: It's his best game of the season so far, but it's clear that he's an afterthought in the offense right now. Keep him in mind only if Jason Witten gets hurt.

News: Rossum injured his hamstring on the first kick he caught as a Cowboy on Sunday and did not return.
Impact: Patrick Crayton made the most of his second chance as Dallas' main punt returner, taking a fourth quarter punt 73 yards for a touchdown, so don't be too surprised if Rossum's tenure as a Cowboy lasts all of one play.

News: Crayton found the end zone twice on Sunday, catching a five-yard TD pass from a scrambling Tony Romo and returning a punt 73 yards for a score.
Impact: Crayton only caught two passes for nine yards total on the day though, so despite his big game he's still a very risky fantasy play. At least he's probably regained his role as the regular punt returner, given that Allen Rossum got hurt the first time he touched the ball as a Cowboy.

News: Romo had an outstanding game Sunday, completing 21-of-29 passes for 311 yards and three TDs, with no INTs.
Impact: He even picked up 31 yards rushing. With the running backs all healthy and Miles Austin emerging as not just a starter but a possible bona fide No. 1 WR, Romo has a full arsenal of weapons at his disposal and going forward he might be able to duplicate the kind of numbers he put up in 2007.

News: Sensabaugh (thumb) is active for Dallas' game against Atlanta.
Impact: Although he's not a big name, Sensabaugh is a key player in the Dallas defense and it should benefit from his return.

News: Barber (quad/thumb) is active for Sunday's game against the Falcons, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: For the first time in more than a month, the Cowboys will have all three running backs - Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice on hand. Barber is expected to be the lead back, but it will be interesting to see if his thumb injury affects his ability to take care of the ball.

News: Ware (foot) is active for Dallas' game against Atlanta.
Impact: He won't be the player he was in 2008 as long as he has this injury, but he's still well above average. Use him as you normally would.

News: Williams (ribs) is active for Sunday's game against the Falcons, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Williams is evidently healthy enough to start Sunday, though he will wear some extra protection to help protect his ribs.

News: Austin had six catches for 171 yards with two touchdowns in Sunday's win over the Falcons.
Impact: That's two straight big games for Austin, who has clearly emerged as Tony Romo's top big play option at wideout. Grab Austin now, if somehow he was cast aside in your league due to Dallas' recent bye week.

News: Jones (knee) had eight carries for 37 yards in Sunday's 37-21 win over Atlanta. Jones also caught a pair of passes and lost a fumble.
Impact: Jones got a decent amount of work considering he missed a couple of games with his knee injury. Meanwhile, Marion Barber started (quad/thumb) and received a team-high 14 carries for 47 yards while Tashard Choice didn't record a single carry. As of now it appears as though things will revert back to earlier in the season when Barber was the main ball carrier with Jones getting 5-10 carries.

News: Barber (quad/thumb) had a team-high 14 carries for 47 yards in Sunday's 37-21 win against Atlanta.
Impact: Dallas' owner Jerry Jones said earlier in the week that Tashard Choice would receive more work, but he did not get a single carry on Sunday, which is good news for Barber. Atlanta focused on shutting down the Cowboys' rushing attack, although Tony Romo and Miles Austin had big performances in the passing game. After one week it looks like things will remain status quo with Dallas' backfield - Barber will start and receive most of the work with Felix Jones and Choice occasionally mixed in. Expect Barber to continue to see the majority of goal line work as well, although he didn't get any opportunities from close on Sunday.

News: Williams (ribs) had just one catch for 16 yards in Sunday's 37-21 win over Atlanta.
Impact: Williams started, but wasn't much of a factor as Miles Austin went off for the second straight game (six receptions for 171 yards with two touchdowns). Even recently-demoted Patrick Crayton outproduced Williams, catching a five-yard touchdown and scoring on a long punt return. Whether it's the rib injury or something else, Williams surely doesn't look like the wide receiver that scored 28 touchdowns over the first four seasons of his career and posted 1,310 receiving yards with Detroit in 2006.

News: Williams (ribs) practiced Friday and is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Atlanta, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Coach Wade Phillips expressed some concerns about Williams' status earlier in the day, but the probable designation indicates that he's all but guaranteed to play Sunday. Still, there are some varying reports floating around (ESPN is calling him a game-time decision), so circle back with us Sunday morning to see if there's any new information. Unfortunately, the Cowboys play in the second wave of kickoffs Sunday, so the definitive word on his status won't come down until Sunday afternoon.

News: Ware (foot) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Atlanta, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: With just 22 tackles and two sacks this season, Ware hasn't been nearly the fantasy force he was in 2006-2008. It's still far too early to give up on him, especially after he showed signs of improvement (two sacks) in Dallas' last game.

News: Sensabaugh (thumb) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Atlanta, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Sensabaugh isn't much of a fantasy option, but the Cowboys will welcome him back to the starting lineup against the Falcons.

News: Barber (quad/thumb) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Atlanta, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: For the first time in more than a month, the Cowboys will have all three running backs - Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice - healthy at the same time. Barber remains the lead dog and can be deployed as a RB2 this week despite his fractured thumb.

News: Coach Wade Phillips said Friday that Jones (knee) looks like he will be full speed for Sunday's game against Atlanta, the Dallas Morning News reports. "He looks fast," Phillips said. "He's moved well so I think he'll get back into his role, which could be quite a bit during the game." He is listed as probable.
Impact: It sounds like Phillips plans to give Jones a healthy portion of the workload on Sunday, though basing any lineup decisions on one sentence from the head coach is a dangerous proposition. All three running backs are healthy for the first time in more than a month, and while we feel good about Marion Barber's number of carries, the split between Tashard Choice and Felix Jones remains to be seen. If possible, it's probably best to hold off on using Jones until we have a better gauge on how he'll be used.

News: Though Williams said Thursday he will play Sunday against the Falcons, coach Wade Phillips indicates that is no lock, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Williams will practice Friday, and how he looks/feels will help determine his availability Sunday. He's been saying he is good to go, but now he must convince his coach. "You can tell he's in pain sometimes during practice, catching the ball, those kinds of things," Phillips said Friday. "I think it's lessened as the week has gone along, but we'll see where he is today."

News: Jones practiced again Thursday with a brace on his knee, the Cowboys' official site reports.
Impact: It appears as though Jones has a good shot to be ready to play Sunday for the first time since spraining his PCL (on Sept. 28), but we'd like to see him get a full and productive game in before recommending him as a lineup option. He has a ton of upside as a playmaker, but coming off an injury and with Marion Barber and Tashard Choice both in the fold, he'll likely re-enter the mix as the team's third RB option.

News: Williams said Thursday that he will play Sunday against Atlanta and that his three injured ribs are better following the Cowboys' bye week, the Dallas Morning News reports. "I'm in. I'm playing," Williams said. "100 percent."
Impact: It looks safe to roll with Williams this week, though it will be interesting to see how much Miles Austin (who went off with Williams out, the last time Dallas played) cuts into his looks.

News: Head coach Wade Phillips confirmed Austin as a starter for this week's game against the Falcons, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Impact: Austin's fantasy owners will be thrilled if he can return even half of what he produced two weeks ago against the Chiefs, but Austin is the only legitimate deep threat the Cowboys have so he should get his fair share of targets from Tony Romo.

News: Crayton is upset that he wasn't told in advance he was being replaced in the starting lineup by Miles Austin, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Impact: "I would have loved it," Crayton said Wednesday. "It would have been real stand-up. That's not what happened. Oh, well. It's been a tough two weeks, but I mean, it comes with the territory. You've got to be able to respond and bounce back from it and go about your business. My job is to help in whatever way possible. It is what it is, man. It's how it goes." Crayton also lost his punt returner spot to Allen Rossum this week, so it's understandable he'd be a little worried about his role with the Cowboys going forward. For his part, head coach Wade Phillips thought Crayton had been informed. "I think we told him; I'm sure we told him in the meetings," Phillips said. The team's lack of WR depth will keep Crayton in the mix, but his already-marginal fantasy value has taken a big hit.

News: Williams (ribs) participated fully in Wednesday's practice, NFL.com reports.
Impact: Williams appears to be on track to play Sunday against the Falcons, but check back later in the week to verify his status before activating him.

News: Ware has a stress fracture in his foot and is listed on Wednesday's injury report, NFL.com reports. However, he participated fully in practice and is expected to play Sunday against the Falcons.
Impact: This doesn't seem to be a major concern for Ware and he can continue to be used as an IDP provided there are no setbacks this week.

News: Sensabaugh (thumb) participated fully in Wednesday's practice, NFL.com reports.
Impact: Sensabaugh broke his thumb a few weeks ago and was expected to miss around a month, but it looks like he might be back sooner than expected.

News: Gurode (knee) participated fully in Wednesday's practice, NFL.com reports.
Impact: He should be fine for Sunday's game against the Falcons.

News: Crayton seemed miffed Wednesday that "nothing was explained" to him even though it seems evident to him that Miles Austin will be starting Sunday against Atlanta. "It's been a tough two weeks, but I mean, it comes with the territory," Crayton said. "You've got to be able to respond and bounce back from it and go about your business.
Impact: Austin had a franchise-record 250 yards receiving on 10 catches with two touchdowns against Kansas City two weeks ago. Apparently, Crayton believes he should still be starting. Since Crayton had four catches for 135 yards with an 80-yard touchdown in the season opener, he has 11 catches for 108 yards with no touchdowns the past four games. Returning punts against Kansas City, he fumbled away the ball trying to field one and almost misplayed another one.

News: In addition to his strained quad, Barber is also dealing with a fractured left thumb that requires a small cast, the Cowboys' official site reports. Despite the injuries, he practiced Wednesday and is expected to start Sunday against the Falcons.
Impact: The thumb injury could give Barber some trouble carrying the ball with his left hand, which is where the ball should be held on runs to the left side of the field. Aside from being at a slightly increased risk for fumbles, Barber should be operating with few limitations this week.

News: Jones increased his practice workload Wednesday (he was listed as a full participant) and said his knee is improving, but he still doesn't know if he'll be able to play Sunday against Atlanta, the Cowboys' official site reports.
Impact: Jones practiced Monday for the first time since the injury and said he felt some minor soreness on Tuesday but was otherwise encouraged with how his knee responded. A decision on his status may not be made until Sunday, but we'll continue to keep tabs on his participation throughout the week.

News: Over the last three games, Witten has received zero targets in the red zone, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: He's still on pace for 90 catches and 829 yards, so it's not like Tony Romo has completely ignored him this season. Still, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett's play-calling has seemed odd at times this season (Witten was used as a blocker on the final two passing plays in Week 4 from the Denver two-yard line, with the Cowboys needing a TD to tie), and hopefully the coaching staff used their bye week to correct some of those misuses of their best weapons.

News: Jones (sprained PCL) practiced on Monday, but his status for Week 7's game against the Falcons is still up in the air, ESPN Dallas reports.
Impact: Jones will probably play, but will he be the primary backup or the third back, with Tashard Choice playing so well before the bye? "We were pleased with how Felix moved around [Monday]," owner Jerry Jones said. "But we don't know how sore he's going to be [Tuesday]. I think what we've got, the strength of our team is the running back position. It's the most strength that we've had at any spot and we need to use it and we will use it."

News: Choice will probably get more work than usual even with Marion Barber starting against the Falcons this week, ESPN Dallas reports.
Impact: The source of this report is actually owner Jerry Jones, who commented on the running back situation during his Tuesday radio show.

News: Barber (quad) will probably start on Sunday against the Falcons, though Tashard Choice will get more carries than usual, ESPN Dallas reports.
Impact: This news comes courtesy of owner Jerry Jones' weekly radio show. "I can tell you Barber is going to be in better shape than he was last week or two weeks ago," Jones said. "But Tashard is certainly earned and going to get a big part of the load."

News: Williams (ribs) returned to practice Monday, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Impact: He had a new partner in the first team offense as Miles Austin lined up in the other WR slot. Austin's ability to stretch the field could open up the field a bit for Williams, but the first step in proving he can be a true No. 1 receiver will be to stay healthy.

News: Crayton was bumped down to the third receiver role in practice Monday, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Impact: Miles Austin lined up opposite the returning Roy Williams in the first team offense. Crayton has been relatively invisible since Week 1 but if the Cowboys' offense wakes up, he could still have some value in deeper leagues.

News: Austin practiced with the Cowboys' first team offense on Monday, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Impact: Austin got the starter's reps at Patrick Crayton's expense, as Roy Williams was able to return to practice from his rib injury. With both Williams and Felix Jones expected back in the lineup this week, it will be interesting to see how involved Austin will actually be in the offense.

News: Jones (sprained PCL) remains limited to light running, but is still hopeful he'll be able to return to action against the Falcons in Week 7, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Impact: "I don't want to make any promises like I did last year," Jones said. "I'm being careful with the intensity level I have. I'm not going to be hurting myself, trying to kill myself. I'm going to work hard, do my thing, and there's a good possibility for next week." With Marion Barber possibility limited by his quad injury for a couple of months yet, the door may still be open for Jones to get significant touches once he returns.

News: Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete suggested on Tuesday that Barber (quad) might not be back at 100% for up to 10 weeks, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Impact: "He's not completely healthy. That thing's going to take time," Peete said. "He's just got to keep strengthening. He's a little weaker than he was prior to being hurt. He's doing well. He just doesn't have the burst that he's had before he got injured." This is not what Barber owners want to hear, but hopefully he can show some real improvement over Dallas' bye week.

News: Rossum has agreed to a contract with the Cowboys, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: He's expected to assume to punt and kick return duties for the Cowboys. Patrick Crayton and Terence Newman struggled with punt returns Sunday while kick return man Felix Jones is still injured, so Rossum could take control of the return game as soon as Week 7. Dallas has a Week 6 bye.

News: Davis broke his finger in the first quarter Sunday against the Chiefs but stayed in the game, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: Even if the Cowboys weren't on their bye this week, Davis would be unlikely to miss any games due to this.

News: On the heels of Miles Austin's record-setting day against the Chiefs, Williams could be in danger of losing playing time and possibly even his starting job, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: The Cowboys are more likely to bump Patrick Crayton from the starting lineup than Williams, given how much they gave up to get the former Lion and how much they're paying him, but Williams hasn't exactly done anything in Dallas so far to warrant special treatment.

News: On the heels of Miles Austin's record-setting day against the Chiefs, Crayton could be in danger of losing playing time and even his starting job, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: In one game Austin picked up more receiving yards (250) than Crayton has managed all season (243), although the same could be said for Roy Williams (who trails Crayton with 214 yards). Given the Cowboys' bigger investment in Williams, however, Crayton is the receiver more likely to get dropped from the starting lineup.

News: While he stopped short of naming Austin a starter, Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said Monday that the receiver would continue to see as much playing time going forward as he did against the Chiefs, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: "He's going to play," Phillips said. "I mean, he played 58 plays in this game and I'm saying he's going to play 50-something plays in the next game, too. We're going to get him on the field." What isn't yet known is whether those extra snaps will come at the expense of Patrick Crayton, Roy Williams or both.

News: Washington has been released by the Cowboys, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Impact: This may not be the last we see of Washington as a Cowboy, as he seems to be their go-to guy when they need an extra body in the their backfield.

News: Rossum has been released by the 49ers, the Associated Press reports.
Impact: The move, which comes as a bit of a surprise, opens up a roster spot for the recently signed Michael Crabtree.

News: Romo completed 20 of 34 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns to Miles Austin, including a 60-yarder in overtime to give Dallas a 26-20 win over Kansas City on Sunday.
Impact: Romo finally had a strong effort throwing one TD and four INTs in his previous three games. He was without Roy Williams (sore ribs) on Sunday.

News: Austin caught 10 balls for 250 yards, including touchdowns of 59 and 60 yards, the last in overtime to give Dallas a 26-20 win over Kansas City on Sunday.
Impact: While Roy Williams sat out Sunday with sore ribs, Austin teamed up with Tony Romo for the most prolific receiving day in Cowboys history. It was Austin's first career start.