Cowboys ranked No. 7 among NFL’s best offensive playmaker groups

The Cowboys don’t need much imagination when it comes to their offensive playmakers heading into 2026.

That’s the takeaway from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who released his annual ranking of all 32 NFL teams by wide receiver, tight end and running back groups this week.

Dallas landed at No. 7 on the list which is a solid spot. It’s already drawing pushback from Cowboys fans who believe the ranking undersells what Dak Prescott has around him.

The foundation of this offense is a pair of wide receivers that Barnwell acknowledges could be the best one-two punch in the entire league.

CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens give Dallas something most teams can only dream about — two legitimate No. 1 receivers on the same roster.

Pickens thrives in Dallas

Pickens made the most of his move from Pittsburgh, thriving in a faster-paced offense with better quarterback play behind him.

The shift from a run-heavy attack in Pittsburgh to Dallas’s more pass-friendly system gave the talented wideout a chance to show what he could do with the right pieces around him.

Lamb, meanwhile, remains one of the game’s premier playmakers even if 2025 didn’t match his career peak.

Barnwell pointed out that Lamb’s massive 2023 season when he topped 1,700 receiving yards may be tough to duplicate given the pass-catching competition around him and his recent injury history.

Lamb still ranked among the league’s most efficient receivers last season.

Tight end Jake Ferguson adds another proven weapon to the group. He returned to the Pro Bowl after catching passes at an elite clip last season, giving Prescott a reliable safety valve who’s also a red zone threat.

With Lamb and Pickens commanding attention on the outside, Ferguson should continue to find favorable matchups in 2026.

Williams the wild card

The wild card for the Cowboys is running back Javonte Williams.

Barnwell flagged Williams as a pleasant surprise in 2025, when the back stayed healthy for most of the year and averaged close to five yards per carry.

Given Williams’s history of struggling to stay on the field after his early-career knee injury, another healthy season from him would go a long way toward making Dallas’s offensive group even harder to defend.

Barnwell noted that if Williams can keep it up in 2026, it’s tough to find much fault with what the Cowboys can put on the field.

What’s working against a higher ranking is a small collection of question marks.

Lamb’s target share figures to shrink with Pickens and Ferguson in the mix, making another 180-plus target season unlikely.

While the skill-position group is loaded at the top, the depth behind the starters doesn’t carry the same star power.

Still, what the Cowboys have is real, verified and formidable.

For a team that’s spent big on veteran talent, the playmaker group surrounding Prescott is a genuine strength heading into the 2026 season.