Cowboys vs. Cardinals Prediction, NFL Preseason Picks – Saturday, August 22

A loaded NFL preseason Week 2 slate on Saturday, August 22, will be capped off in the desert at 10 p.m. ET, as the Dallas Cowboys travel to State Farm Stadium to take on the Arizona Cardinals on NFL Network.

The Cowboys will rest key starters tonight on offense and defense, including QB Dak Prescott, but they enter as slight favorites, returning a 1.85x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks to win.

The Cardinals will be without first-round rookie RB Jeremiyah Love, who is in danger of missing Week 1 with a high ankle sprain. RB James Conner, RB Trey Benson, QB Carson Beck, starting QB Jacoby Brissett, and other starters will also sit out this game.

But even with starters resting on both sides, we’ve got a solo late-night NFL football game on Saturday night with a national broadcast. And that means all eyes will be on this game.

We’ll get you ready for tonight’s NFL preseason game with our Cowboys vs. Cardinals prediction and picks for Saturday’s NFL preseason game, including the spread, over/under, and top player picks for PrizePicks 

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Cowboys vs. Cardinals Prediction, Spread, Over/Under for NFL Preseason – Saturday, August 22

The Dallas Cowboys enter Saturday's game as 1.5-point road favorites against the Cardinals, returning a 1.85x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.

Here are the full payouts for the Cowboys vs. Cardinals NFL preseason Week 2 game on PrizePicks tonight.

Payouts show potential returns on correct Team Picks predictions. A 2x payout returns $200 on a $100 entry. Lower multipliers reflect outcomes users are picking as more likely. Payouts are live as of writing and subject to change.

Make your Cowboys vs. Cardinals prediction on PrizePicks now — including winner, spread, and over/under!

Cowboys vs. Cardinals Prediction for NFL Preseason Tonight

Here are the NFL stats and trends behind our Cowboys vs. Cardinals prediction on the over/under in preseason Week 2, set at 37.5 points on PrizePicks tonight.

• Although Dallas' preseason opener finished with 24 points, the team is still averaging 41 total points per preseason game since head coach Brian Schottenheimer took over in 2025.
• Cowboys’ backup QBs Joe Milton III and Sam Howell combined to go 20-of-27  for 201 yards and 2 TDs in the preseason opener.
• Howell is expected to make his eighth preseason start under center; he’s averaging 1 TD pass per preseason start since coming into the league in 2022.
• Milton averaged 131 passing yards per game in his preseason appearances with the Cowboys in 2025.
• With Brissett and Beck sidelined, Cardinals QB Gardner Minshew is expected to play the entire first half. With 63 regular-season appearances under his belt, he’s overqualified to face a Cowboys’ reserve defense.
• Minshew went 14-of-16 for 101 yards and 2 TDs in the Cardinals’ first preseason game vs. the Raiders.
• Although the Cowboys have made significant upgrades to their starting defense in the offseason, they ranked dead last in expected points added per play (EPA) against in 2026, per Sumer Sports.
• The Cardinals’ first two preseason games under new head coach Mike LaFleur have totaled 63 and 41 points.
• The Cardinals rank third in preseason yards per game (396.5) in two games, while the Cowboys rank seventh (338) in one game.

Lock in your Cowboys vs. Cardinals prediction on PrizePicks now for NFL preseason!

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Cowboys vs. Cardinals Picks, Player Stats for NFL Preseason Tonight – 8/22/26

Here are the top Cowboys vs. Cardinals picks to target on Saturday, August 22. Today's NFL preseason picks for PrizePicks include Cowboys WR Anthony Smith and Cardinals QB Gardner Minshew, who is slated to start today.

Cowboys WR Anthony Smith vs. Cardinals: 21.5 Receiving Yards

• Smith is a 24-year-old seventh-round pick out of East Carolina, where he racked up 1,053 yards in 2025.
• The rookie led the Cowboys WRs in snaps (39, 59%) and targets (5) in their first preseason game, followed by Jordan Hudson (37, 56%).
• Smith totaled 28 yards on 2 receptions in preseason Week 1 vs. the Seahawks.
• The rookie caught passes from both Howell and Milton in preseason Week 1.
• The Cardinals have surrendered 22+ yards to seven receivers across their two preseason games this season.
• Smith ran a 4.45-second 40 at his pro day, and the Cowboys used him to stretch the field in preseason Week 1, giving him realistic outs to reach this projection with one catch.
• Smith is fighting for a roster spot in a loaded Cowboys’ receiver room, where four spots are already locked up. It’s likely we’ll see Smith and Camden Brown — who scored 2 TDs in last week’s game — get the most WR snaps in this game.

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Cardinals QB Gardner Minshew vs. Cowboys: 111.5 Pass Yards

• Minshew is set to play at least a half before giving way to Kedon Slovis; the door is open for Minshew to play into the third quarter, with only 2 QBs available
• The 2019 sixth-round pick will likely be the most experienced player on the field on every snap; he’s played in 63 regular-season games, racking up 11,987 passing yards.
• Minshew threw for 101 yards vs. the Raiders in preseason Week 1 on 14-of-16 passing; he entered the game after starting QB Jacoby Brissett (5/5, 44 yards, 1 TD), who will sit out vs. the Cowboys.
• In preseason games where Minshew has attempted at least 16 passes, he is averaging 134.7 yards per game.
• The Cowboys ranked dead last in pass yards against in 2025, though they did hold the Seahawks backup QBs to just 96 passing yards in preseason Week 1.
• When Cardinals rookie QB Carson Beck played two-and-a-half quarters in the Hall of Fame game, he completed 15-of-19 passes for 188 yards vs. the Panthers.

Add Gardner Minshew to your NFL Preseason picks on PrizePicks

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The starters will be resting for both the Cowboys and Cardinals, which will put roster spots on the line as cuts are looming. Which backups will make the most of their opportunity alongside QBs with plenty of preseason experience? 

Don't wait until the 10 p.m. ET kickoff — make your Cowboys vs. Cardinals picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you're right on tonight’s game.

Pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you're right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on preseason NFL game winners, spreads, over/unders, and futures!

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