Players to Watch in Cowboys 2026 Preseason Opener
With the NFL preseason underway, the Dallas Cowboys open up their 2026 preseason campaign with a trip to Seattle to play the Seahawks. This is the first time in three years that the Cowboys will play in Seattle for a preseason game; the last one they lost 22-14. Dallas enters this game looking to find players who can make an impact in the well-anticipated 2026 season. Dallas is one of the few teams that rest their starters in the preseason to find unlikely impact players and manage injury risk. Although the preseason draws less attention from fans, who are some players to watch in the Cowboys' preseason opener?
Caleb Downs
Despite Caleb Downs likely playing only a few preseason series in 2026, he is the definition of a player to watch. The 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has had Dallas fans and media raving about who he is and what he could become. It was a question of whether he would see playing time, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer made it clear he would. The main concern is the risk of injury, which is why Downs will see only limited snaps. There is concern that the expectations for him may be set too high. However, even with limited playing time, Caleb Downs has the opportunity to show why those expectations exist.
Justin Barron
One player on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of high expectations is linebacker Justin Barron, but after Dallas's joint practice against the Rams, he has become a player to watch. During the aforementioned joint practice, Barron recorded three interceptions, two on backup starter Stetson Bennett and one on the reigning MVP, Matthew Stafford. A big question mark for Dallas is who will play next to DeMarvion Overshown at linebacker. Given Barron's impressive performance against the Rams' first-team offense, he may have an opportunity for playing time in the regular season. First on Barron's agenda, however, is to play well in the preseason, starting with his first game against Seattle.
Phil Mafah
To avoid naming players on the defensive side, an offensive player to watch is running back Phil Mafah. The second-year player saw little to no snaps during his rookie season in 2025, but with Dallas looking for a backup running back to pair next to Javonte Williams, he has a shot to win the position. The hype for the backup role was trending towards Jaydon Blue being the guy to win the job, but as OTAs continue, Mafah has been the player who has turned heads. With consistency in the preseason, starting versus Seattle, he could find himself as the backup running back in Dallas.
