Week 15 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: DeMarco Murray, 3 Other Dallas Cowboys to Sit

The Dallas Cowboys took a significant hit in their running game when DeMarco Murray injured his right ankle in the 37-34 loss to the New York Giants. As reported by ESPNDallas/Fort Worth, Murray will be placed on the injured reserve and undergo surgery on his fractured right ankle.

That's a significant hit to the Cowboys running game, which will need to turn to Felix Jones for nearly all their carries.

Also, fantasy teams will take a hit, although their health isn't nearly as important as that of Murray.

Fantasy owners will need to search around for another running back.

Other Cowboys fantasy contributors should not start.  Read along to find out which ones to sit.

DeMarco Murray

Things fantasy owners should do before Sunday include brushing one's teeth regularly, expressing one's love to the folks and sitting DeMarco Murray.

Murray's season is finished. After 897 yards rushing and two touchdowns, Murray has done all he physically can this season.

The Cowboys and fantasy owners can't get anything more out of him until his sophomore season.

The Cowboys will move along for the last three weeks of the regular season without him, and fantasy owners should do the same. Starting Jones in his place wouldn't be a bad idea, assuming Tony Fiametta can continue to plow lanes for Jones as he did for Murray.

John Phillips

John Phillips had the catch of a lifetime against the Giants. His 12-yard touchdown catch was his first venture into the end zone.

Phillips had great reason to rejoice, as did fantasy owners holding the former Virginia Cavalier.

Nevertheless, fantasy owners shouldn't get caught up, pulling out all the stops to get Phillips and put him in the starting lineup. After all, it was his first touchdown catch in his three-year career. Don't expect him to get No. 2 the next week. 

Also, he's not one to rack up catches or yards. Phillips has only two games this season with more than two catches and none with more than 25 yards.

Cowboys fans and fantasy owners should contain their ecstasy regarding Phillips.

Dez Bryant

Dez Bryant looks like his production might drop with Miles Austin back. Austin had four catches for 63 yards against the Giants compared with the one 50-yard touchdown catch that Bryant had. Bryant was covered well by Corey Webster and company, aside from the touchdown grab.

Something has to give with Austin back. Austin seems fresh now and he's taking his grabs. Bryant's season has been a mixed bag. He's pulled in touchdown catches in seven of his 11 games. However, he has six games with three or fewer catches. 

Laurent Robinson, who had 137 receiving yards and a touchdown on Sunday, is more likely to keep getting catches. Robinson has been more reliable and has shown better breakaway speed and ability to separate himself from defenders.

With that, fantasy owners should sit Bryant.

Cowboys Defense

The Cowboys defense is riddled with injuries. Mike Jenkins suffered another injury against the Giants, hurting his shoulder on a near interception. Jenkins will try to play with a harness on the shoulder against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPNDallas/Fort Worth. Also, Jay Ratliff was in a great deal of pain after playing two-plus quarters with a rib muscle strain.

Safety Barry Church will have surgery on his shoulder on Tuesday. By the way, DeMarcus Ware aggravated a stinger suffered against the Cardinals. That's an especially dark sign.

Having digested the injuries to those four Cowboys defensive players, fantasy owners won't be happy about the prospects for the Cowboys defense for Sunday. With Jenkins out, the Cowboys had a hard time covering Giants receivers. Should he be hampered—which seems likely—the Cowboys coverage will be just as good as if he were not in the game.

Losing Ware for some period will hurt their ability to rush Josh Freeman. Ware should miss at least a good chunk of the game against the Bucs, which could lead to the Cowboys whiffing on the pass rush as they did against the Giants.

Losing effectiveness with Jenkins, Ware and Ratliff means giving up a good amount of yards to Josh Freeman and the rest of the Bucs offense. Freeman, who leads a No. 13 Bucs pass offense, might not throw for 400 yards like Manning did on Sunday, but he'll certainly benefit from the likely drop in pressure.

Thus, fantasy owners should not start the Cowboys defense.