Stock Up, Stock Down After Dallas Cowboys' 4th Preseason Game

In the Dallas Cowboys' fourth preseason game, the team treated the contest as their dress rehearsal for the regular season. For the most part, it was a sloppy game on both sides of the ball for the Cowboys, but there were a number of players who stood out and a handful who struggled.

Once again, the game was dominated by good quarterback play by the Cowboys. Both Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush continued to thrive, while Kellen Moore seems to be falling further behind with each passing day.

On the negative side of things, the Cowboys still haven't decided who is going to be the team's left guard. Injuries have played a big part of the struggle at this position, but no one player has grabbed hold of the job.

Without further ado, here are eight players who saw their stocks rise or fall after the Cowboys' fourth preseason game, against the Oakland Raiders.

Stock Up: Quarterback Cooper Rush

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Maybe the biggest surprise of the preseason in the NFL is the play of undrafted rookie free agent Cooper Rush. Heading into training camp, it seemed like a lock that the Cowboys would only keep two quarterbacks on the roster heading into the season. That still could be true, but one of those two will be Rush, according to president Jerry Jones after Saturday night's game, per Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. 

Through four preseason games, Rush has completed 38 of 51 passes for 398 yards. He's also thrown six touchdowns and has no interceptions on his resume. That's good enough for a passer rating of 135.9. He's been on fire, completing 32 of his last 36 passes in the preseason. 

What's also encouraging about Rush is he's performed well every time the coaches have put more on his plate. On Saturday, he worked as the second quarterback, and he didn't disappoint. Its likely Rush will see a ton of action on Thursday in the team's final preseason game, and he has surely made the Dallas Cowboys roster. That quite an achievement for an undrafted player out of Central Michigan.

Stock Down: Right Tackle La'el Collins

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In a preview of Saturday's game, right tackle La'el Collins was highlighted as a player to keep an eye on during the meeting with the Raiders. Why? Because he was likely to see a ton of All-Pro rusher Khalil Mack. To Collins' credit, he didn't give up a sack nor was he beaten very often, but penalties are the reason his stock is down.  

Collins racked up three penalties in the first half (two were accepted). One penalty negated a beautiful throw by Prescott to Terrance Williams that would have put the Cowboys near the Oakland 40-yard line. Instead, they were backed up inside their own 10. Dallas somehow managed to get across midfield but stalled after another penalty by Collins on third-and-short.

Collins' technique and power are improving every week at right tackle, which is encouraging. Hopefully, the number of penalties will decrease as he gets more experience at the position because it's clear he has the talent and potential to not only be an upgrade over recently retired Doug Free but also to be one of the better right tackles in the NFL.

Stock Up: Quarterback Dak Prescott

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While Rush has stolen most of the headlines in Dallas over the past few weeks, Prescott has shown that he's ready to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump young quarterbacks typically hit. The 24-year-old threw just 14 passes against the Raiders in the first half, but he shredded Oakland, passing for 113 yards and one touchdown.

Once again, Prescott's poise in the pocket showed up as he was able to dodge rushers and get the ball out before getting hit. His accuracy was nearly pinpoint, and he used his legs to pick up a first down on the team's first drive. Prescott also had that deep pass to Williams that would've gained more than 40 yards but was negated by the aforementioned penalty on Collins. Altogether, it was an impressive outing by Prescott.

Through two preseason games, Prescott has played a little less than three quarters but has totaled 219 yards passing while completing 18 passes on 22 attempts. His passer rating has been nearly perfect, with the two-game total equaling 154.3. Don't expect Prescott to play at all Thursday night against the Houston Texans because he's already in midseason form.

Stock Down: Left Guard Chaz Green

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A different player has started at left guard each and every week in the preseason for the Cowboys. On Saturday, it was third-year player Chaz Green who drew the start. Despite playing well against the Raiders, Green finds his stock falling fast as, once again, he was unable to finish the game because of an injury.

According to ESPN.com's Todd Archer, Green has a "minor" ankle sprain that will likely keep him out of the team's final preseason game. While the injury in itself might not cost Green a starting job, he just hasn't proved to be a reliable enough player to warrant a starting job.

If the Cowboys decide to use Jonathan Cooper or Byron Bell as the team's left guard, Green would likely assume the role of the team's swing tackle, backing up Tyron Smith and Collins. Green is scheduled to become a free agent in 2019, but he needs to show he can stay on the field before any team would offer him a long-term deal.

Stock Up: Tight End Jason Witten

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For the second week in a row, Jason Witten caught a touchdown from Prescott. This time, it was on a 10-yard pass from Prescott for which Witten made a nice move to free himself open in the end zone. In just one half of action, Witten caught all six of his targets for 74 yards. That brings his preseason total to a perfect eight-of-eight for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

Pro Football Focus heaped praise on Witten, giving him the second-highest grade of the game (85.3). In order to help Witten stay fresh for the regular season, the Cowboys have rested him more this offseason, scheduling days off for him during the summer, per George. That seems to be paying off, as he has had a fantastic preseason.

Witten will likely play close to 95 percent of the team's offensive snaps in 2017, so there is no need to overwork him in camp. With fresh legs, Witten could be in for a bounce-back season after one of the worst campaigns of his career in 2016.

Stock Down: Linebacker Anthony Hitchens

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After having a "top-five camp," according to Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, Anthony Hitchens was injured on the second-to-last play of the first half Saturday. Hitchens was slated to be the team's starting middle linebacker, but a leg injury will likely keep him out for eight to 10 weeks. Officially, the injury is a tibial plateau fracture, according to Archer. That's much better news than the initially reported torn ACL diagnosis.

Still, the Cowboys will be without their starting middle linebacker for half of the season, if not longer. Second-year linebacker Jaylon Smith is getting closer to returning to his pre-injury form, but he's not ready to play 60 snaps each game. That likely means veteran Justin Durant will be the team's starter when they open the season against the New York Giants.

The injury is brutal for Hitchens, not only because he had a strong camp but also because he is scheduled to hit free agency in 2018. He was playing well enough to warrant a big-time extension. Hitchens should be able to return at some point this season, but it's a big loss for the Cowboys and their defense.

Stock Up: Defensive End Damontre Moore

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Nearly every year, defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli finds a reclamation project who works into the team's rotation on the defensive line. In recent seasons, Terrell McClain, George Selvie, and David Irving come to mind as players who were washed out from their original teams, only to be brought in by Marinelli.

This year, Damontre Moore is that project, and he's already paying dividends to the Dallas defense. On Saturday night, Moore looked like one of the team's best defenders, racking up a sack and two tackles. He finished the game with the highest grade from both teams (88.9) at Pro Football Focus.

Moore will be suspended for the first two games of the season, but he figures to be a big part of the rotation on the defensive line once he returns to the lineup. He has the speed and explosion to win on the outside but also the quickness to win as a defensive tackle in nickel situations. Don't expect him to be an every-down rusher when he returns, but he's going to play a role on the Cowboys defense this season.

Stock Down: Cornerback Nolan Carroll

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When the Cowboys signed Nolan Carroll in free agency, the thought was he could replace Morris Claiborne or Brandon Carr on the outside. However, after a few preseason games, Carroll has struggled to fill that role.

The Raiders picked on the 30-year-old on the outside, and there wasn't much he could do about it. His only positive play of the day came on a poorly thrown pass that was well behind the receiver on third down. Other than that, Carroll was outmatched against Oakland's talented receivers.

With the injuries to Jourdan Lewis and Chidobe Awuzie, Carroll will need to play a lot early in the season. And with Dallas starting the season against Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall, and Sterling Shepard, the Cowboys need him to step up his play dramatically if they want to start off hot.