If you ask old school scouts what is required to field a championship contender, they will quickly tell you that it takes eight to twelve blue-chip players to compete for a title. This premise has been the standard for general managers around the league and I rely on it to help me identify the players to watch on game day.
With that in mind, I thought I would take a little time to identify the players to watch on the Cowboys' next opponent. Here are current blue-chip players for Washington.
Here are the top players for Washington that could give problems for the Cowboys this Sunday.
Taylor Heinicke, QB
The ultra-confident gunslinger has given the WFT a spark with freewheeling style from the pocket. Heinicke has a knack for making the play with the game on the line and his emergence as a clutch performer has thrust the WFTs back into playoff contention. It is not always pretty with the veteran but he finds a way to get it done in a league that only cares about the bottom line.
Terry McLaurin, WR
The third-year pro is a speedster with a refined game that enables him to create big plays in a variety of ways. McLaurin is capable of taking it the distance on "catch-and-run" concepts or deep balls over the top of the defense. The Cowboys need to pay close attention to his whereabouts on every play or No.17 will put points on the board as a big-play specialist.
Antonio Gibson, RB
The hybrid running back poses a problem to defenses without the personnel to handle a playmaker out of the backfield with a hard-nosed running style and wideout-like pass-catching skills. As a crafty player with big-play potential, Gibson is the focal point of an offense that lulls opponents to sleep with a steady drip of 4-yard plays that lead to first downs, long drives, and touchdowns.
Daron Payne, DT
The fourth-year pro is an exceptional run stopper in the middle of the WFT frontline. Payne routinely controls the point of attack utilizing his superior size and strength to dominate interior blockers at the line of scrimmage.
Jonathan Allen, DT
The Alabama product has emerged as the most disruptive member of the WFT defensive line with Chase Young and Montez Sweat out of the lineup. Allen is a rock-solid interior defender with the size, strength, and skill to create disruption as a pass rusher and run stopper. If the Cowboys do not have a plan for slowing down No.93, it could be a long day for Dak Prescott and Co. in D.C.
Kendall Fuller, DB
The sixth-year pro is considered one of the best nickel corners in the game. Fuller has an instinctive game that should make quarterbacks leery when throwing his way. With 11 career interceptions and 48 passes defensed, the veteran is a ball hawk with a knack for playmaking that makes him a game-changer on the island.
