This article is part of our Showdown/Single Game DFS Breakdown series.
You couldn't call it a rivalry as much lately – San Francisco has had Dallas' number during the Shanahan Era – but 49ers vs. Cowboys is one of the league's most storied historical matchups, and that prestige from the 80s/90s lingers somewhat even as the two teams encroach 30 years without a Super Bowl title. Both teams, too have seen more struggles than anticipated in 2024 – mostly because of injuries in the case of the 3-4 49ers, though in the case of the 3-3 Cowboys there are issues arguably originating in the structure of the team. Both teams are in a Must Win situation either way, so in theory both should be playing with a cornered urgency. The 49ers are favored by 5.5 points with an over/under of 48.0.
QUARTERBACK
Brock Purdy ($9400 DK, $13500 FD) doesn't have as much help as usual with Brandon Aiyuk out and Deebo Samuel (pneumonia) perhaps limited by what is a pretty substantial illness, but Purdy is a good player on his own and could still have just enough weaponry on hand to hold his own here, not the least of which being Kyle Shanahan's consistently excellent playcalling. Shanahan also has a way of turning up the heat when he really needs to – perhaps Purdy does too.
Dak Prescott ($9600 DK, $13000 FD) is a good quarterback but might not be the easiest player to trust in this particular game. Dallas seems to have a litany of issues to work through in-house,
You couldn't call it a rivalry as much lately – San Francisco has had Dallas' number during the Shanahan Era – but 49ers vs. Cowboys is one of the league's most storied historical matchups, and that prestige from the 80s/90s lingers somewhat even as the two teams encroach 30 years without a Super Bowl title. Both teams, too have seen more struggles than anticipated in 2024 – mostly because of injuries in the case of the 3-4 49ers, though in the case of the 3-3 Cowboys there are issues arguably originating in the structure of the team. Both teams are in a Must Win situation either way, so in theory both should be playing with a cornered urgency. The 49ers are favored by 5.5 points with an over/under of 48.0.
QUARTERBACK
Brock Purdy ($9400 DK, $13500 FD) doesn't have as much help as usual with Brandon Aiyuk out and Deebo Samuel (pneumonia) perhaps limited by what is a pretty substantial illness, but Purdy is a good player on his own and could still have just enough weaponry on hand to hold his own here, not the least of which being Kyle Shanahan's consistently excellent playcalling. Shanahan also has a way of turning up the heat when he really needs to – perhaps Purdy does too.
Dak Prescott ($9600 DK, $13000 FD) is a good quarterback but might not be the easiest player to trust in this particular game. Dallas seems to have a litany of issues to work through in-house, and perhaps the bye week helped with that, but the 49ers defense is tough and the Dallas tackle personnel has predictably been less than great with pass blocking. The Lions simply thrashed Dallas before the bye and the 49ers defense might be better, but perhaps Prescott can tap into something extra with his back against the wall.
RUNNING BACK
Rico Dowdle ($8000 DK, $10500 FD) will likely remain the lead running back for Dallas even if Dalvin Cook ($1000 DK, $5000 FD) is active, but if Cook is active it might need to come more so at the expense of Ezekiel Elliott ($2400 DK, $9500 FD). The 49ers run defense hasn't been quite as smothering this year as their general recent standards, but they still look tough relative to a Dallas offense that maybe just isn't very good at running the ball.
Jordan Mason ($11000 DK, $15000 FD) is good at running the ball, and Dallas is bad at stopping it. Even if Purdy plays valiantly at quarterback, there's no doubt Mason needs to carry the 49ers offense here. He's likely capable, and the 49ers can't afford to give too much playing time to the inexperienced Isaac Guerendo ($7000 DK, $8000 FD) if Mason is present and the game is close.
WIDE RECEIVER + TIGHT END
Deebo Samuel ($10000 DK, $12500 FD) is maybe the toughest question of the slate, because he's normally dominant and very well could be in this game if his health permits it. But guessing the physical state of a guy who was just hospitalized last Sunday with pneumonia is next to impossible, and unless news reports surface prior to game time there's no real information here other than that Samuel will likely be active for the game – whether he's near his usual self or playing on a full snap count is unclear. Ricky Pearsall ($5800 DK, $9500 FD) probably needs to play a three-down role either way, and the first-round pick rookie has high expectations. With Aiyuk out, Pearsall needs to step up. George Kittle ($8800 DK, $11500 FD) is of course capable of serving as the 49ers' lead target if Samuel cannot, so Kittle could be a key player in this slate despite playing through a foot issue. If Kittle is limited then Pearsall and punt-play wideouts Chris Conley ($2800 DK, $7500 FD), Jacob Cowing ($4000 DK, $5000 FD) and Ronnie Bell ($3000 DK, $7000 FD) will need to step up that much more, though on an unclear basis. Cowing is the most talented between himself, Conley and Bell, but the latter two veterans have played more to this point.
CeeDee Lamb is a tough fade on any slate, let alone single-game slate, and this game is no exception despite the challenging matchup. Lamb's usage volume is almost always locked in, and a player with his talent can at least occasionally transcend difficult conditions. Dallas' back is against the wall and they need to use all their tricks now, which presumably will mostly be used to spring loose Lamb. Jalen Tolbert ($6400 DK, $8000 FD) is the WR2 and could pop up with some useful plays, but the better bet for targets might actually be tight end Jake Ferguson ($6800 DK, $10000 FD). If Ferguson trails Tolbert in the target count it might be due to the presence of Fred Warner, who admittedly is an extremely challenging matchup for tight ends. Bit role wideout KaVontae Turpin ($4800 DK, $7500 FD) is always worth a thought on single-game slates, both because he's a standout returner and because he sometimes provides Dallas with high per-snap yardage output, albeit always on limited snap counts.
KICKER
Brandon Aubrey ($5400 DK, $9000 FD) is almost infallible as a kicker – even his two misses on 19 field goal attempts may as well not exist, because an absurd nine of those attempts came from beyond 50 yards. With incredible range and usage, Aubrey is always a leading consideration on a single-game slate, though any struggles with the Dallas offense might limit his upside somewhat.
Anders Carlson ($5000 DK, $8500 FD) is very much fallible as a kicker, though in this game he could still see viable usage since the 49ers should be able to move the ball. Whether the 49ers can convert yardage to touchdowns at their usual rate is much less clear, and if there is any gap there Carlson could be in position to bridge it. Carlson missed his only PAT last week – a problem he also had in 2023 – but he made his two field goals, including one from 55 yards.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
Dallas ($3400 DK, $8500 FD) went into the year with a feared defense but a series of injuries, most notably that of Micah Parsons, has negated much of their theory as a unit. With personnel like they presently have on hand, Dallas can only be so intimidating in the pass rush, even though there are decent players scattered throughout the secondary and linebackers.
The 49ers ($4400 DK, $9000 FD) have the much more intimidating defense in this game, though they have to prepare as if Dallas plays better in this game than they have in general lately. The Cowboys won't stay down as bad as they were against Detroit, because they simply aren't that bad of a team. If luck is at all on the side of the 49ers defense, though, it could be in position to hurt a Dallas team that definitely has the ability to collapse.
