Dallas Cowboys Stock Watch: Week 16 risers & fallers

Which Dallas Cowboys players saw their stock rise or fall after Week 16?

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The Dallas Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs before they even played yesterday, which likely added some motivation.

Despite this, the Cowboys had an impressive showing against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that was firing on all cylinders heading into Sunday's matchup.

The Cowboys won 26-24, delivering a strong performance on offense, defense, and special teams. With very few disappointing performances, here are the Cowboys' players whose stock rose or fell after the win.

MORE: NFC East Power Rankings after Week 16: Cowboys can play spoiler

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Fallers

Rico Dowdle, RB

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After being the league's top running back in terms of YPG, Rico Dowdle had an absolute dud and failed to get anything going in the run-game. Dowdle had 13 carries for 23 yards with three catches for 28 yards.

It wasn't expected for Dowdle to go off against the Buccaneers' stout run defense; however, averaging 1.8 yards per carry is a glaring issue.

This performance indicates that the Cowboys' run-game success over the last four weeks had more to do with the quality of their opponents than with the offensive line or Dowdle himself.

MORE: Is Rico Dowdle the Cowboys best UDFA since Tony Romo?

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Damone Clark, LB

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After being a regular on the Cowboys' defense for the last two seasons, Damone Clark has fallen out of favor in Mike Zimmer's system.

Clark has struggled to see the field much this season; despite the Cowboys being thin at linebacker especially after DeMarvion Overshown's injury.

Early in his career, Clark seemed to be full of potential, but in this past game, he recorded just one tackle despite the depleted linebacker corps.

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Jonathan Mingo, WR

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After the Cowboys spent a valuable fourth-round pick on Jonathan Mingo before the trade deadline, he has been atrocious and has rarely seen the field.

Mingo has failed to receive a target in the last two games and has so far proven to be a grave mistake by the Cowboys' front office.

In an offseason where the Cowboys desperately need their draft picks, this move definitely stings.

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Stock Risers

Ryan Flournoy, WR

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Ryan Flournoy had the best game of his rookie year on Sunday. Flournoy has rarely seen the field this season, and his first career catch actually resulted in a fumble.

However, in this game, he made three catches for 41 yards, almost matching his season totals for catches and yards.

With the Cowboys eliminated from the playoffs, it is important that they continue to evaluate players like Flournoy, Jalen Brooks, and Jonathan Mingo to see what they have for the future.

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Cooper Rush, QB

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Cooper Rush completed 26 of 35 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown. Rush continues to look more and more comfortable in the Cowboys' offense and, quite frankly, more comfortable than Dak Prescott has this season.

Heading into free agency, Rush will be one of the best backup quarterbacks on the market. With a 9-4 record as a starter, Rush has proven he can potentially be a year-round starter.

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Jourdan Lewis, CB

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Jourdan Lewis made the play of the game on Sunday when he leapt up and miraculously made a touchdown-saving interception.

Lewis's performances have often been overshadowed by the Cowboys' rough outings, but he has been one of the most consistent players on the team this season.

In this game, Lewis finished with six total tackles, three solo tackles, two pass deflections, a QB hit, and an interception.

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