Ranking the Dallas Cowboys best players in 2018: 10-1

7. Dan Bailey

At first glance, having a kicker as one of your ten best players seems a little silly and possibly sad. Then you remember how important of a weapon a reliable kicker is and you feel a whole lot better.

Bailey is the human binky and blanket for Cowboys fans on a weekly basis. If Bailey is coming onto the field, you’re almost guaranteed points. Bailey has missed just two extra points in 278 attempts. He is also second all time in field goal percentage, making just over 88% of all of his kicks.

Money Dan deserves this high of a spot and will continue to earn his keep for several more seasons in Big D.

6. Sean Lee

Lee would be higher on the list, but, you know, there is that whole injury thing. Without the injuries, we are talking about one of the three or four best linebackers in all of football. No one will outsmart Lee. He matches wits week after week with opposing quarterbacks and more times than not, comes out ahead.

The two-time Pro Bowl linebacker has to prove the ability to be available however. The Cowboys allowed just under 30 points per game in the five games he missed in 2017, plus his early exit in the Atlanta game. While Dallas has upgraded at the position using a first round pick this season for contingency, Lee is still one of the most valuable players on this team.

5. DeMarcus Lawrence

Was 2017 a flash in the pan or the start of a very scary nightmare of opposing quarterbacks? We will find out this year as Lawrence seemed to come into his own last year.

With 14.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl appearance, the 26-year old pass rusher is going to set out to duplicate or improve upon his previous campaign. Lawrence has all the tools you would want in an edge rusher. All that is missing is putting it together in back-to-back seasons.

Since Lawrence will play the 2018 season under the franchise tag, there should be extra motivation to make that happen. My money would be on another double-digit sack effort. Jones’ money will then be in Lawrence’s pocket.

4. Travis Frederick

Arguably the best center in all of football, Frederick starts the run on first round selections that really paid off for Dallas. In five years, he has never missed a game. He has four Pro Bowl appearances in that time frame and one All-Pro selection as well.

Frederick does not get the credit he deserves in the quick maturation process of Prescott. Having someone at center with the talent and knowledge Frederick possesses surely has made life easier for Dak.

Obviously, having an anchor like Frederick is also helpful in the run game, which, since he’s been the center, has flourished. In the last four years, Dallas has finished ninth once and second three times in total rushing yards. He’s not alone, however, as you’ll see on the next page.