PYROMANIAC.COM | Jason Witten

110	'08	'07	'06
Games	16	16	16
Targets	121	141	92
Receptions	81	96	64
Receiving Yards	952	1145	754
100 Yard Games	2	4	0
Total TDs	4	7	1

110

'08

'07

'06

Games

Targets

121

141

Receptions

Receiving Yards

952

1145

754

100 Yard Games

Total TDs

Dallas Cowboys

Bizarro World

If you were to listen to TO tell it, Jason Witten and Tony Romo have have a dirty little secret that they don't want anyone to know about. Romo and Witten had apparently crafted their own playbook (who could blame them with Jason Garrett calling the shots) and held secret meetings all season long. If you look at the actual numbers, though, you will find that TO was targeted 19 more time than Witten in 2008 and an average of more than 30 times than Witten over his three seasons in Dallas.

With TO and his accusations (and general kryptonic personality) moving on, Witten's targets will only grow and he and Romo will be left to further enhance their secret playbook.

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His Game

There is no questioning that Romo has found a comfort zone with Witten and how could you blame him? Witten doesn't drop many balls. He had five drops in 2008 which was half of TO's count (10 in '08) in 19 less targets. Witten is a tank standing at 6'5" and 265 pounds runs a 4.67 40 yard dash which is among the fastest times for the top 20 fantasy TEs in the league (Visanthe Shiancoe, Tony Scheffler, Dustin Keller, Dallas Clark and Zach Miller each run under a 4.55 40 yard dash). And none of those guys have hands like Witten.

Witten's numbers are dependent on Romo's health. In 13 games that Romo played in 2008, Witten had 74 catches for 900 yards and four TDs (pro-rated over 16 games that are 91 catches for 1107 yards and five TDs). In the three games when Romo was down, he had seven catches for 52 yards and zero TDs. More compelling is if you factor in that Romo was very rusty and still a little banged up in his first game back vs. Washington in week 11. Witten only caught two balls for 34 yards and zero TD. Remove those two games from the 13 games above, and you have 72 catches for 866 yards and four TDs in 12 games. If you pro-rate those over 16 games it comes to 96 catches for 1,154 yards and six TDs or very similar to his stellar 2007 numbers.

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Watch Out

We're pumped about Witten's prospects, but there are a couple of factors that we are compelled to review. No matter how painful it is to pay TO anything resembling a compliment, there is some credible proof of the effect he has on alternative targets on any offense. Check it...

Tai Streets - in 2002 and 2003, he combined for 119 catches for 1,351 yards and 12 TDs lining up opposite TO. He played one more season in the NFL with Detroit and managed just 28 catches for 260 yards and one TD. He was never able to make an NFL team again.

JJ Stokes - it can easily be argued that the only reason Stokes made it nine years in the NFL was because of the presence of TO. He played seven years alongside him, up until 2002, and then was cast-off. He signed on with two different teams the following years (New England and Jacksonville), was cut by both, and never played again.

We're not too worried about this as Witten has produced without TO, and Roy E. Williams should be able to deflect a good grip of attention.

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2009 Fantasy Outlook

The Cowboys will have been cancer-free for just over six months by the start of the 2009 season and this team will rebound from their disappointing '08 performance. The Cowboys red-zone opportunities shrank to 44 in 2008 compared with 56 the previous season. Seven of Witten's 12 TDs over the last three years have been caught in the red-zone. Witten will be the benefactor of increased targets across the board and should see his numbers return to over 1,100 yards and his TDs could approach double digits. He has earned the honor of becoming the 8th TE off of the draft board in 2009.

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Contract

In 2006, Jason signed a six-year, $29 million contract extension through 2012. The deal contained $12 million guaranteed, including a $6 million signing bonus and a $6 million option bonus in the second year. The remaining years on the deal are outlined below:

2009 - $2.5 million

2010 - $2.641 million (+500k roster bonus)

2011 - $3.391 million (+500k roster bonus)

2012 - $3.641 million (+$1 million roster bonus)

2013 - Free Agent

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In The Huddle

Offensive Line

Offensive Scheme

Major Off-Season Moves

2009 NFL Draft

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Strength of Schedule

DALLAS COWBOYS

Rank #24 vs. Rush

Rank #11 vs. Pass

1=Toughest 32=Easiest

View Overall Strength of Schedule Chart

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Injury Report

Witten broke a rib in week eight in 2008 and it slowed him for a couple of games, but he played through it. He has never missed a game due to injury in his career.

Fantasy Playoffs

		Receptions Total	Reception Yards	Reception TDs
2008	Week 15	5	44	0
	Week 16	5	87	1
	Week 17	7	50	0
2007	Week 14	15	138	1
	Week 15	8	113	0
	Week 16	6	53	0
2006	Week 14	4	33	0
	Week 15	5	56	0
	Week 16	6	50	0

Games 1-8 vs. 9-16

		1-8	9-16
2008	Receptions Total	46	35
	Reception Yards	549	403
	Reception Touchdowns	2	2
2007	Receptions Total	42	54
	Reception Yards	540	605
	Reception Touchdowns	4	3
2006	Receptions Total	26	38
	Reception Yards	317	437
	Reception Touchdowns	1	0

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Jason Witten

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Bizarro World
His Game
Watch Out
2009 Fantasy Outlook
Contract

In The Huddle
Strength of Schedule
Injury Report
Fantasy Playoff Stats
Games 1-8 vs. 9-16

Witten practices on Monday expand +

Although he still had a sprained foot during the game last Thursday, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten practiced on Monday and seems to be close to being recovered.
"Whatever he had, we want him to keep it," coach Wade Phillips said. "He had his best game (five catches, 107 yards). I think he's better today than he was in the game."

Pyro's Take:

Could Thursday have been the game to turn around Witten's disappointing season? We're not quite convinced, but it does look to be heading in the right direction. He's a marginal TE1 for your fantasy football team this weekend as the Cowboys take on the Giants.

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Source: cowboysblog.dallasnews.com

12:45 PM, 12.01.09

Witten goes through limited practice Wednesday expand +

Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (foot) went through a limited practice on Wednesday and is being deemed questionable and a game-time decision for the game tomorrow against the Raiders.

Pyro's Take:

Witten is a tough cat, as he has only missed one game over his seven-year career. Our guess is that he plays, but hasn't been more than a TE2 for fantasy football squads all year.

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Source: sports.espn.go.com

12:45 PM, 11.25.09

Witten returns to practice Tuesday expand +

Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (foot) returned to practice on Tuesday after missing the team's walk-through yesterday.

Pyro's Take:

There hasn't been any words of concern out of Dallas about Witten missing Thursday's game, but with the down season he continues to have, he might not be any more than a TE2 for your fantasy football team going forward.

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Source: twitter.com

02:45 PM, 11.24.09

Witten blocking, not route-running, in red-zone expand +

Witten has been completely ignored over the last three games in the red-zone. He has been only blocking. Meanwhile, it is Miles Austin who leads the team in that time span with 4 red zone targets to his name.

Pyro's Take:

Witten's owners must be nerved by this situation. We're not sure this is a trend that will continue or not, but judging by Dallas's performance in the red zone, this approach has not been working out too well, so there is hope that it won't continue.

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Source: cowboysblog.dallasnews.com

11:00 PM, 10.20.09

Witten catches a TD pass in Cowboys' first preseason game expand +

Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten caught and eight-yard TD pass from QB Tony Romo in the first quarter of the Cowboys' first preseason game against the Raiders.

Pyro's Take:

This was the only TD scored by the Cowboys in the game, and it was a finely executed play. Witten came off the line, ran straight at the linebacker, then peeled off to his left causing major separation and easily caught the pass thrown by Romo. With T.O. gone, Witten should be Romo's favorite end zone target this season.

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Source: www.brownsvilleherald.com

12:00 PM, 08.14.09

Season Schedule

Jason Witten