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DALLAS COWBOYS\u2019 MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER: A BREAKOUT SEASON LOOMS FOR DAK PRESCOTT<\/strong><\/p>\n The Dallas Cowboys<\/strong> may have been watching the Super Bowl from home<\/strong> this year, like every other team that didn\u2019t make it, but they aren\u2019t staying idle. With quarterback Dak Prescott<\/strong> and a few key players involved in Pro Bowl week<\/strong> festivities in San Francisco<\/strong>, the Cowboys are already focusing on the 2026-27 season<\/strong>. After another year of postseason disappointment, it\u2019s time to evaluate what needs to be done to make sure the Cowboys are a Super Bowl contender<\/strong> next year.<\/p>\n One topic that has recently been a hot discussion point was revealed in a fan survey<\/strong> published by The Athletic<\/strong>. With 1,314 fan responses<\/strong>, one question in particular stood out: \u201cWhich player is the Cowboys\u2019 most underrated?\u201d<\/em> The answer was clear, and it\u2019s a player who continues to fly under the radar despite being one of the team\u2019s most important assets.<\/p>\n The results were in, and for the second consecutive year, Dak Prescott<\/strong> has been voted as the most underrated player<\/strong> on the Cowboys roster. Prescott, despite being the starting quarterback and a Pro Bowl participant<\/strong>, received 140 write-in votes<\/strong> in the survey, beating out Ryan Flournoy<\/strong>, who came in second with 111 votes.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the first time Prescott has earned this recognition. In last year\u2019s survey, he also received the most votes<\/strong> for the most underrated player on the Cowboys, edging out cornerback Kelvin Bland<\/strong> by a slim margin. Jon Machota<\/strong>, the NFL analyst behind the survey, points out that despite Prescott\u2019s success, the perception of him remains undervalued.<\/p>\n As Machota<\/strong> writes, \u201cPrescott was again at the top among the 914 responses this time,\u201d showcasing that **Cowboys fans and analysts alike still view Prescott as one of the league’s top quarterbacks, but perhaps not getting the widespread recognition he deserves.<\/p>\n Ryan Flournoy<\/strong> also saw a significant boost in recognition this year, coming in as the second-most underrated player behind Prescott. Flournoy, who is gearing up for a breakout season<\/strong>, has become one of the most exciting young talents on the Cowboys roster. Despite being overshadowed by bigger names in the past, Flournoy\u2019s impressive performances in limited roles have turned heads, earning him the respect of both fans and analysts.<\/p>\n However, Prescott\u2019s consistency as the team\u2019s leader<\/strong> continues to earn him the \u201cunderrated\u201d tag. Despite the questions surrounding the Cowboys’ offensive line and their overall game plan in recent seasons, Prescott\u2019s play<\/strong> remains at an elite level. His leadership, ability to perform under pressure, and high football IQ<\/strong> keep him at the forefront of the Cowboys\u2019 success, even if he doesn\u2019t always receive the same national recognition as other top quarterbacks.<\/p>\n As Prescott enters his 32nd year<\/strong>, health<\/strong> is the primary concern. Machota<\/strong> notes, \u201cHealth is the only real question here.\u201d<\/strong> If Prescott<\/strong> can stay healthy and continue to perform at a high level, there\u2019s a strong belief<\/strong> that he could remain the Cowboys\u2019 quarterback<\/strong> well into his late 30s<\/strong>. The 2025 season saw some struggles with injuries<\/strong> that hindered his performance, but if he\u2019s able to stay healthy next year, he could return to the elite form that has made him one of the league\u2019s top quarterbacks.<\/p>\n That said, if injuries continue to mount for Prescott, his timeline as the Cowboys\u2019 franchise QB<\/strong> could shift, making the 2026-27 season crucial for his future. Regardless, the Cowboys\u2019 front office seems committed to Prescott\u2019s leadership<\/strong>, and there is still a strong sense of confidence in his ability to lead the team forward.<\/p>\n As for the Dallas Cowboys\u2019 position in the league<\/strong>, it\u2019s still unclear where they\u2019ll land in the upcoming season. NFL analysts<\/strong> have already begun to throw their weight behind predictions for the 2026-27 season<\/strong>, and Gary Davenport<\/strong> of Bleacher Report<\/strong> has the Cowboys ranked No. 18<\/strong> in his early power rankings. While this ranking may seem low for a team with 14 wins in the 2025 season<\/strong>, Davenport<\/strong> notes that the Cowboys<\/strong> have several key areas to address, particularly on defense and in free agency.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Cowboys have a lot to sort out<\/strong> this offseason if they hope to return to relevance in 2026,\u201d Davenport writes. Replacing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus<\/strong> with Christian Parker<\/strong> is a good start, but there\u2019s still a lot of work to be done. The Cowboys<\/strong> need to clear cap space<\/strong>, figure out how to re-sign or replace key players like George Pickens and Javonte Williams<\/strong>, and bolster their defensive unit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n While Davenport<\/strong> notes that the Cowboys are still a few years away<\/strong> from challenging the NFC\u2019s elite teams<\/strong>, he does believe they have the potential to move closer to that goal<\/strong> with the right offseason moves.<\/p>\n The Dallas Cowboys<\/strong> are at a crossroads. Dak Prescott<\/strong>, despite being the most underrated player<\/strong> on the team, is still the backbone of the Cowboys\u2019 success<\/strong>. With Ryan Flournoy<\/strong> emerging as a key piece for the future, the Cowboys<\/strong> have the potential to continue improving in 2026. However, they must address key weaknesses, including salary cap issues<\/strong>, defensive depth, and figuring out how to make the most of their talent on offense.<\/p>\n The 2026-27 season<\/strong> presents a critical opportunity for the Dallas Cowboys<\/strong> to either solidify themselves as contenders or fall back into mediocrity. With Prescott\u2019s leadership and a solid core of players, they could take another step toward Super Bowl contention<\/strong>. For Cowboys fans<\/strong>, the hope remains that their team can build off of their strong 2025 season and make the necessary moves<\/strong> this offseason to be competitive once again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" DALLAS COWBOYS\u2019 MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER: A BREAKOUT SEASON LOOMS FOR DAK PRESCOTT The Dallas Cowboys may have been watching the Super Bowl from home this year, like… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":151575,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-151574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nDak Prescott: Consistently the Most Underrated Cowboy<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A Year of Opportunity for Ryan Flournoy<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Prescott\u2019s Future: Can He Maintain His High Level of Play?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Cowboys\u2019 2026 Power Ranking: A Path to Success?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Conclusion: Can the Cowboys Build on Their Success?<\/strong><\/h3>\n