Top 5 Players to Watch in Cardinals vs Cowboys on MNF

When Monday night rolls around in the Lone Star State, the Arizona Cardinals will take on a Dallas Cowboys team that is better than expected. The opposite is true for the Cardinals, who were a popular pick to make the playoffs as a sleeper team this year.

Fresh off a bye week, the Cardinals are hoping to flip the script for the second half of the season and go from bottom-feeders to contenders. It’s not too late, but it starts with a win in prime time.

This game features some of the league’s best players despite what outsiders may think. The Cardinals’ top players stack up with some of the Cowboys’ best, but there’s no question who’s at the top.

We’re going to break down the five best players on the field between the Cardinals and Cowboys and rank them from first to last. No quarterbacks will be included in that ranking considering their position, but we will touch on them before we get started.

The quarterbacks…

Jacoby Brissett has played very well for the Cardinals in relief of Kyler Murray, and Arizona needs him to play even better coming off a bye week. He faces a struggling Cowboys defense, which should help get that ball rolling.

For Dallas, Dak Prescott has been excellent. He’s playing some of his best football despite a bleak outlook for the season just a few months ago. Prescott is putting the team on his back and maximizing his weapons. He’s as dangerous as he’s ever been.

5. Brandon Aubrey

Maybe the best kicker in the league resides in Arlington, Texas. Aubrey is the NFL’s best long-distance kicker with the most 60+ yard field goals made ever. There’s seemingly no limit to his range, giving the Cowboys points at every opportunity.

4. George Pickens

A change of scenery has helped Pickens hone in on his potential after leaving Pittsburgh. Pickens shined as the team’s top receiver in relief of an injured CeeDee Lamb (more on him later), and he’s been just as effective with Lamb back in the fold. His ability to make plays downfield keeps opposing defenses off balance.

3. Trey McBride

McBride is playing just as well this year as he has in previous seasons. He’s earned every penny of his contract, and he’s got a nice connection with Brissett right now. McBride will once again be the force that keeps the passing game in order.

2. Paris Johnson Jr.

Is Johnson finally achieving elite status? He’s certainly not far off, and the rest of the league is finally catching on. The Cowboys may not have a ferocious pass rush, but Johnson will be tasked with keeping everything on track and keeping Brissett standing tall.

1. CeeDee Lamb

It’s not close between first and second here. Lamb is in a tier with fewer than five players at the wide receiver position, and he’s tearing up defenses again now that he’s back to full strength. There’s not a corner in the league who can shut down Lamb for 60 minutes, and the Cardinals can only hope to do damage control.