Jalen Tolbert News

Drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of South Alabama, Tolbert was viewed as a raw, athletic prospect who might need some time to adjust to the level of play in the NFL, but the Cowboys clearly didn't anticipate just how big that adjustment was going to be. The 23-year-old was inactive for the first two games of the season despite the team's lack of healthy, reliable wideouts behind CeeDee Lamb, and even after Tolbert did begin to draw into the gameday lineup, he failed to make any kind of impact, and he returned to inactive status for the final five games of the regular season plus both of Dallas' playoff games. With a full offseason in the program ahead to hone his skills and with a better idea of what he needs to do to succeed in the NFL, Tolbert could make a big leap in his second season, but there's little reason to put him on the fantasy radar as anything more than a dart throw in dynasty formats until he proves himself on the field.

Tolbert was a healthy scratch for the final five games of the regular season and will be inactive once again to start the postseason. Dallas' wideout corps Monday night will consist of CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Noah Brown, T.Y Hilton and KaVontae Turpin.

Tolbert will finish the 2022 regular as a healthy scratch for the fifth week in a row. With veteran wideout T.Y. Hilton taking on a bigger role in Dallas' receiving corps, it's likely Tolbert could remain a non-factor heading into the 2022 playoffs.

Tolbert is set for his third consecutive absence, each of which has come as a healthy scratch. Most recently, that's been due to the addition of T.Y. Hilton, who caught a 52-yard pass in his debut with the Cowboys in Week 16.

The rookie third-round pick suited up for the past seven games but won't play Sunday with James Washington (foot) making his 2022 debut after being activated off injured reserve. Tolbert has only two receptions for 12 yards in eight contests this season.

Heading into training camp, Tolbert looked like a leading candidate to open the season as the Cowboys' No. 2 wideout behind CeeDee Lamb, but a poor preseason resulted in him being a healthy scratch Week 1. Tolbert's outlook hasn't changed much for the better since that time, as he was inactive in four of the Cowboys' first seven games and fell further down the pecking order at receiver when Michael Gallup returned from a torn ACL in Week 4. Lamb and Gallup are both suiting up Sunday, but the absence of Brown creates an opportunity for Tolbert to see meaningful playing time on offense for the first time since Week 3, when he logged 23 snaps. With Brown out and James Washington (foot) on injured reserve, the Cowboys aren't left with much depth at the position beyond Tolbert, as the lone other active wideout Sunday is 5-foot-9, 153-pound return man KaVontae Turpin, who profiles as more of a gadget player on offense than a true receiver.