Cowboys defense takes a massive hit with recent injury

The reigning No. 1 fantasy defense will begin the 2024 season without one of its best players.

Repeating as the top D/ST unit is always a difficult task in fantasy but Dallas will have a significantly tougher time without the services of cornerback DaRon Bland. Todd Archer of ESPN reported the injury on Aug. 24, giving Bland a six to eight-week-long recovery timeline.

Per Archer, Bland will miss the beginning of the season due to foot surgery to repair a stress fracture.

Bland was a major factor in Dallas' defense finishing first in fantasy in 2023. During Dan Quinn's tenure, the Cowboys' unit was consistently at the top of the league in creating turnovers and scoring touchdowns, both of which are major factors in fantasy. Touchdowns, specifically, are a fantasy gold mine in the D/ST position.

In Quinn's first year with Dallas, it was Trevon Diggs who carried the load for the team with 11 interceptions but the past two seasons have been owned by Bland. After snagging five interceptions in his rookie year, Bland had nine in 2023 with a staggering five touchdowns. His five scores led all defensive players by a wide margin, three more than the second-place finisher, Kenny Moore II.

Dallas D/ST fantasy outlook in 2024

While the Cowboys' defense as a whole took a hit with Quinn leaving the team in the offseason to become the new head coach of the Washington Commanders, Bland's absence leaves a temporary hole in the team's secondary. Behind him, Dallas has fifth-round rookie Caelen Carson listed as the next man up with Diggs opposite of him and veteran Jourdan Lewis in the slot.

Carson was given a respectable PFF grade of 73.7, suggesting he will not be a complete liability on the field, assuming new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer schemes him properly. But while all players have a different impact in fantasy than they do in "real life," that effect is magnified at the D/ST position. Even if Carson is serviceable in coverage, he will not bring the same turnover and scoring upside that Bland has, even with the latter expected to see his high touchdown rate regress.

With touchdowns carrying the value of Dallas' defense, it is difficult to rank them as the preseason No. 1 option, especially without Bland. They are still a top-five unit in real life but drop slightly lower in fantasy when additionally factoring in the departure of Quinn.