Roy Williams from Lions to Cowboys – Impact

Roy Williams was traded to the Dallas Cowboys

Although there was only one trade on the NFL trading deadline, the deal of Roy Williams to the Dallas Cowboys will have major ramifications in both the NFL and in fantasy football. On Tuesday, the Cowboys completed the long rumored deal with the Detroit Lions by sending three draft picks to Detroit for the talented wide receiver.

Williams will join Terrell Owens in the starting lineup to give the Cowboys arguably the best wide receiving duo in the NFL. It might take a little time for Williams to learn the offense but he’s naturally gifted enough to catch on quickly.

Which players will feel a positive fantasy football impact following the trade? First of all, Williams just became a lot more valuable. He wasn’t having much success in Detroit and now he’s in one of the most high powered offenses in the NFL. Long-term, this is also great for Williams owners in Keeper or Dynasty leagues because eventually Williams will likely take over for Owens as the go-to receiver. Tony Romo will also get a bump up from this news. The trade should also help Marion Barber III because a more potent Dallas offense will mean more goal line carries for Barber.

On the other hand, the fantasy news isn’t good for everyone. While it would seem this is bad news for Owens, it probably isn’t too bad of news. He’ll see more single coverage, which should make up for the drop in targets. The players this will likely hurt most are Jason Witten, Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin. Witten will take a hit because he’ll now likely be the third option on most passing plays instead of the second option. Crayton and Austin will get much less playing time and their value will likely plummet.

Overall, the Roy Williams trade should be a positive for the Dallas offense and their fantasy football production. It’ll take the next four or five weeks to figure out the exact impact for each player.

Photo: Newscom