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Skip Bayless: Dallas Cowboys X-Factor Against the Niners is…

By Steven Mullenax

Nov 15, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; A general view of Dallas Cowboys helmet on the field during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 10-6. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; A general view of Dallas Cowboys helmet on the field during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 10-6. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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FS1’s Undisputed commentator Skip Bayless believes this Dallas Cowboys player will be the x-factor against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Coming off a two-game winning streak, the 2-1 Dallas Cowboys head to California this Sunday to face off against the 1-2 San Francisco 49ers, who have lost their last two contests. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they have several injuries to key players that could negatively affect the outcome for Dallas.

Chief among those injuries is the one All-Pro wide receiver Dez Bryant suffered, a hairline fracture in his knee, last Sunday night against the Chicago Bears. Although the Cowboys are holding out hope Bryant still plays against the 49ers, there is a good chance Dallas will be without their best overall wide out.

That leaves the Cowboys with a rookie quarterback under center, Dak Prescott, without his biggest threat in the passing game. And to make matters worse, this same receiver corps often failed to step up last season without Bryant in the lineup.

But longtime sports columnist, television personality and self-proclaimed die-hard fan of America’s Team Skip Bayless believes this little-known receiver will be the surprise star in his predicted Cowboys victory over the Niners, 23-20.

"“I’m about to give you the x-factor in this game. This is why I’m going to pick my Dallas. Cowboys. Number 19, check him out. He’s going to be the difference in this game. His name is Brice Butler,” Bayless proclaimed on his FS1 debate show Undisputed on Friday. “He’s going to step in and step up for Dez Bryant…he will get behind people if you single cover him. He’s going to be single covered and he will be double-trouble for the San Francisco 49ers.”"

Butler was traded to the Cowboys early last season from the Oakland Raiders after Bryant went down with a foot injury in Week One against the New York Giants. Unfortunately, lingering hamstring issues limited the 26-year old receiver to just 12 receptions for 258 yards in seven games. Eight of those catches came in the final two contests of the season in 2015.

So far this season, Butler has recorded only one reception for 16 yards on four targets in three games. In the preseason, the speedy receiver posted six catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. One of which was a 58-yard bomb from Prescott against the Miami Dolphins.

The fourth-year receiver has proven he’s capable of making big plays for the Cowboys offense. But due to the multiple weapons on that side of the ball for Dallas, Butler simply hasn’t been a major target before now.

With Bryant’s status up in the air, the former seventh round pick out of San Diego State certainly could be a sleeper to get a boost of production against the 49ers. San Francisco’s 13th ranked passing defense allowed two Seattle Seahawks’ players to record a combined 14 catches for 246 yards and two touchdowns in Week Three.

Next: Dallas Cowboys @ 49ers: Eight Staff Game Predictions

One of Seattle’s biggest plays against the Niners was to Seahawk wide out Doug Baldwin for a 59-yard reception. Look for the Cowboys to try and stretch the field against the 49ers as well on Sunday, with the speedy Butler as the likely recipient.

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