Biggest Dallas Cowboys Winners & Losers Through First Month Of Season

We are one full month into the 2026 NFL season and the Dallas Cowboys have already had plenty of highs and lows. They enter Week 5 with a record of 2-2 and are set to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football.

Dallas entered the year with high hopes following an offseason full of moves to shore up their defense. They’re still trying to get that side of the ball figured out, although the recent addition of Joey Porter Jr. has surely helped.

While some hiccups were expected along the way when going through such an overhaul, there have been some disappointments on both sides of the ball. Of course, there have also been some pleasant surprises. Here, we take a look back at the first four games and identify the Cowboys’ four biggest winners and losers to start the season.

Winner: Tyler Guyton, OT

Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Guyton prepares to enter the field prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dallas had an elite offense in 2025, and they brought back all 11 starters in 2026. That meant they were set to be explosive once again, but there were concerns about Tyler Guyton at left tackle. Through four games, he’s been able to silence all critics and just had a remarkable game against two of the league’s best pass rushers in Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.

After shutting down the Houston Texans’ duo, Guyton enters Week 5 as a blossoming star, and one of the biggest winners of the first month of the season.

Winner: Jaishawn Barham, LB

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaishawn Barham on defense during the first half against the New Orleans Saints. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Week 1 was less than ideal for rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham. He didn’t have a great debut and went viral for an interaction with defensive coordinator Christian Parker on the sideline.

He was then forced into more playing time when DeMarvion Overshown was injured and rose to the challenge. Barham has 21 tackles and four tackles for loss and is currently the 22nd highest-ranked linebacker in the league, according to PFF.

Winner: Dak Prescott, QB

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott jogs onto the field before the game against the Houston Texans. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even the staunchest Dak Prescott critics will have trouble finding holes in his performance this past weekend. Prescott lit up one of the league's top defenses, and this came one week after leading a strong comeback against Baltimore. Sure, that one fell short, but it wasn't Prescott who gave up a field goal in seven seconds.

Prescott has been on fire with 1,065 yards, eight touchdown passes, and just one interception. He has the offense humming right now and that's without every skill player performing at the highest level.

Winner: CeeDee Lamb, WR

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb makes a reception during the game against the Houston Texans. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There's not a receiver in the NFL playing with more confidence right now than CeeDee Lamb. He already has 498 yards and four touchdowns on 37 receptions. His best performance was in Week 4 as he torched a talented Houston secondary to the tune of 189 yards and a touchdown on 17 receptions. Defenses know the ball is going his way and they still can't do anything to stop Lamb, who is in the zone and is the biggest winner in Dallas after one month of play.

Loser: Von Miller, OLB

Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Von Miller on the sideline during the game against the Houston Texans. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Von Miller said the Cowboys didn't pay him for sacks, and through four games, that statement has been prophetic. Miller has been providing some veteran mentorship, but has been a ghost on the field. Miller enters Week 5 with just two tackles and zero sacks. It's fair to say he needs more time on the field to make an impact, but it's just as fair to say his first month has been a letdown.

Loser: Jake Ferguson, TE

Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter makes a tackle on Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jake Ferguson is not off to a good start. While his three touchdown receptions is impressive through four games, he has just 12 catches overall and had a critical fumble in Week 3 against the Ravens. Ferguson, who is averaging a career-low 6.9 yards per reception, is also being questioned for his in-line blocking. The calls are growing louder for Brevyn Spann-Ford, who doesn't have the receiving prowess that Ferguson possesses, but is an excellent blocker and has the size to be a red-zone beast.

Loser: Dee Winters, LB

Houston Texans running back David Montgomery is knocked out of bounds by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dee Winters. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jaishawn Barham is receiving plenty of positive attention for his work to kick off the season, but the same isn't true for Dee Winters. Added as a draft-day trade, Winters was supposed to bring stability to the inside linebacker position. Through four games, he has a PFF grade of 42.5, which is 72 out of 74 linebackers. There are calls for Winters to lose his job once DeMarvion Overshown returns from injury, with fans clamoring for an Overshown-Barham pairing.

Loser: DaRon Bland, CB

Dallas Cowboys CB DaRon Bland runs out onto the field before the game against the Ravens. | REUTERS

Jerry Jones recently said he's not that concerned with DaRon Bland, but as Cowboys On SI's Mike Moraitis writes, he should be. In Week 4 alone, Bland surrendered 104 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. He currently has a grade of 55.5 overall from PFF, which is 72nd out of 103 qualifying defensive backs.

Bland signed a four-year, $92 million extension in 2025 to be the CB1 of the future. Just one year later, the Cowboys traded for Joey Porter Jr. and while Jones can say that move will help Bland, it might actually be a sign that his days are numbered.

—Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI—

Add us as a preferred source on Google