Joe Milton Pushes for Cowboys' Backup Job, but Schottenheimer Won't Commit
Milton went 9-of-13 for 179 yards and a TD against Arizona, yet Dallas says its QB2 battle with Sam Howell is 'long from over.'
Strong preseason reps, but Dallas hasn't named a QB2 yet.
- Milton: 9-of-13, 179 yds, 1 TD vs. Cardinals
- Howell: 7-of-10, 65 yds, 1 INT in relief
- Schottenheimer: competition 'long from over'
- Milton joined Dallas late in 2025 preseason
- Howell: 1 PPR pt over 3 games in 2024
Joe Milton got the start Saturday against the Cardinals and did nothing to hurt his case, completing 9 of 13 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown. Then Sam Howell took over and went 7-of-10 for 65 yards with an interception. On the stat sheet, it wasn't close.
And yet the job is still up for grabs. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer credited Milton with two good halves and acknowledged he's played really well over his last two games, but insisted the competition is far from settled. He added that Dallas still has plenty of confidence in Howell as the two head back to Frisco for more camp reps.
That's the frustrating part for anyone trying to read the depth chart. Milton has clearly outplayed Howell this August, but the coaching staff is treating this as an open race, which usually means politics, draft capital, and film we can't see are all in play. Milton, who arrived in Dallas late in the 2025 preseason, said he feels a major difference in his game compared to a year ago.
What It Means for Fantasy
For redraft purposes, none of this matters much unless something happens to Dak Prescott. This is a backup battle, and backup quarterbacks in Dallas don't carry standalone value while the starter is healthy. Howell's résumé underlines the point: he logged just 1 PPR point across three appearances in 2024 (24 passing yards, no touchdowns), so nobody's rostering him for production.
The reason to track it at all is the handcuff angle. Prescott's injury history means whoever wins this job becomes a real streaming option the moment he goes down, and Milton's arm gives that scenario a higher ceiling than a checkdown artist would. Winning the QB2 role in a competition with actual stakes is a meaningful marker.
Bottom line: this is a watch-list situation, not a waiver priority. Don't burn a bench spot on either guy in a one-QB league right now. But if you're in a deep or superflex format, note who ends up as Prescott's insurance once Dallas finally makes the call — that's the name worth stashing later.
