The Cowboys on Sunday lost DE Sam Williams to ACL and MCL tears in his left knee. The third-year, former second-round pick appeared headed for the No. 3 edge role.
Williams wasn't headed for a starting spot, but he carried some breakthrough potential before this injury.
Dallas starts Micah Parsons and 32-year-old Demarcus Lawrence on the edge. Lawrence played just 57.2% of snaps last year, leaving room for a third.
Dorance Armstrong served as the No. 3 last season, playing 41.7% of the defensive snaps and collecting the team's second-most sacks (7.5).
Williams checked in third, a half-sack ahead of Lawrence.
The severity of the injury not only knocks Williams out for this season. The double ligament tear could also challenge his 2025 start. And that will be the final season of his rookie contract.
Williams carried intrigue, thanks to his 99th-percentile speed score for the position and nice college production (including 31.5 tackles for loss across three seasons at Ole Miss).
Williams might still be worth holding in deeper IDP leagues. But he'll be cuttable in others.
Second-round rookie Marshawn Kneeland looks like the next-best bet for the No. 3 edge spot.
Kneeland doesn't appear to match Williams' physical upside and spent five years at Western Michigan before entering the draft.
So he's less intriguing than a healthy Williams in dynasty leagues.
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