Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Gains competition in draft
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Ferguson could face competition for targets this season from second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker.
A fourth-round pick in 2022, Ferguson flashed some upside as a receiving option last year when Dalton Schultz was out of the lineup, and he ascended to the top of the depth chart at tight end when Schultz signed with the Texans. Schoonmaker is even more of an athletic specimen than Ferguson, but the newcomer to the roster is still a developmental project with raw receiving skills after mostly playing quarterback in high school. Given his head start in establishing chemistry with Dak Prescott, Ferguson still figures to be the Cowboys' top option at tight end in 2023, with Peyton Hendershot also figuring into the mix behind him alongside Schoonmaker.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Flashes potential as rookie
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Ferguson caught 19 of 22 targets for 174 yards and a touchdown over 16 regular-season games in 2022.
A fourth-round pick out of Wisconsin in the 2022 NFL Draft, Ferguson most productive performance came Week 6 when he caught four of six targets for 40 yards and a TD. Stuck behind Dalton Schultz when the veteran tight end was healthy, Ferguson got only occasional chances to flash his upside and athleticism as a pass catcher, but he tended to make the most of them. Ferguson landed on highlight reels during a Thanksgiving Day win over the Giants with a 30-year catch-and-run that featured both a leaping grab and a hurdle over safety Jason Pinnock. Schultz is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and if Dallas elects not to bring him back, Ferguson could head into 2023 as the team's No. 1 tight end.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: One big catch in return
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Ferguson caught his only target for 24 yards in Saturday's win over the Eagles.
After missing last week's game due to a concussion, Ferguson looked 100 percent in his return and displayed his athleticism with a nifty spin move that turned a short pass into a big gain in the fourth quarter. The rookie tight end remains behind Dalton Schultz on the depth chart, but with the veteran headed for free agency in the offseason, Ferguson has shown flashes of being ready for a much bigger role in 2023.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Good to go Saturday
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Ferguson (concussion) has been deemed active for Saturday's game versus Philadelphia, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Ferguson missed last Sunday's loss to Jacksonville after sustaining a concussion during the Week 14 win over Houston. The rookie tight end was then limited in each practice during Week 16 prep, though he apparently cleared protocols ahead of Saturday. Ferguson has caught 16 of 19 targets for 139 yards and two touchdowns this season, and he should reprise his role as Dallas' No. 2 tight end behind Dalton Schultz.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Iffy for Week 16
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Ferguson (concussion) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Eagles, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
After stringing together three consecutive capped sessions due to the concussion he sustained back in Week 14 versus Houston, Ferguson is now in danger of missing a second consecutive game when the Cowboys host Philadelphia on Saturday. If the rookie isn't afforded the green light this weekend, then Peyton Hendershot should operate as the team's No. 2 tight end behind starter Dalton Schultz.
Ferguson (concussion) was listed as a limited participant on Tuesday's practice estimate, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Ferguson missed last weekend's matchup against Jacksonville as a result of the concussion he suffered the week prior versus Houston, and he's since opened Week 16 prep as a limited participant during Tuesday's walk-through session. If the rookie is eventually unable to clear protocols prior to Saturday's contest against Philadelphia, Peyton Hendershot and Sean McKeon are in line to serve as Dalton Schultz's top backup options.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Ruled out for Sunday
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Ferguson (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
With Ferguson unable to practice all week, Peyton Hendershot and Sean McKeon have been left for depth behind starter Dalton Schultz. Ferguson's next chance to play will be a Saturday game against the Eagles in Week 16 (Dec. 24).
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Remains in protocols
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Ferguson (concussion) was a non-participant in practice Thursday, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Ferguson will need to move further along in the league's concussion protocols process before he is able to return to the practice field. If he is unable to clear protocols ahead of Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Peyton Hendershot will likely climb to No. 2 on the team's tight end depth chart, while Sean McKeon would move up to No. 3.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Forced out Sunday
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Ferguson (head/neck) was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Texans, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Ferguson did not log a statistic before he sustained a pair of injuries Sunday, though the exact nature of these issues is still unknown. The rookie has caught 16 of his 19 targets for 139 yards and two touchdowns as the Cowboys' No. 2 tight end through the first 12 games of the season. With Ferguson sidelined, Peyton Hendershot and Sean McKeon will likely step into bigger roles behind Dalton Schultz.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Maintains small role in offense
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Ferguson caught both his targets for minus-1 yard in Sunday's win over the Colts.
The Cowboys racked up 54 points, but Ferguson didn't benefit from the offensive eruption. The rookie tight end has caught all seven of his targets over the last three games for 71 yards, but even in a TE Premium format he has little fantasy value while Dalton Schultz is healthy.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Impresses in Thanksgiving win
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Ferguson caught all three of his targets for a career-high 57 yards in Thursday's 28-20 win over the Giants.
Thirty of those yards came on a spectacular catch-and-run early in the fourth quarter that saw the rookie tight end hurdle one New York defender before lowering his shoulders and trucking another for an extra few yards. Ferguson's fantasy value is low now that Dalton Schultz is fully healthy, but he's showing impressive glimpses of his potential if he grows into the starting role down the road.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Hauls in another touchdown
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Ferguson caught his only target for a one-yard touchdown in Sunday's win over the Bears.
The rookie tight end was on the other end of a Dak Prescott red-zone toss midway through the second period, giving the Cowboys a 28-7 lead. Ferguson now has two career touchdowns, with both of them coming in the last three games, but with Dalton Schultz looking healthy the Wisconsin product isn't likely to see increased target volume on the other side of Dallas' Week 9 bye.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Week 7 Waiver Priority List
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Ferguson stepped up in Week 6 against the Eagles with Dalton Schultz (knee) out, and maybe he can be a streaming option in deeper leagues in Week 7 against the Lions if Schultz can't play again. Against Philadelphia, Schultz had four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown on six targets, and he has a favorable matchup in Week 7 against the Lions, with Dak Prescott (thumb) back. Ferguson is worth adding in deeper leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Scores first NFL TD
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Ferguson caught four of six targets for 40 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Eagles.
The rookie tight end recorded his first NFL score early in the fourth quarter, catching a short pass from Cooper Rush and making a slick move around a Philadelphia defender to get into the end zone. The catches, targets and yards also were career highs for Ferguson, but his run of deep-league fantasy relevance likely will come to an end once Dalton Schultz (knee) is 100 percent.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Playing Sunday
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Ferguson (knee) is active Sunday against the Rams, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Ferguson came into the day questionable after logging limited practices Thursday and Friday. He should operate as the Cowboys' No. 2 tight end against the Rams.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Listed as questionable for Sunday
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Ferguson (knee) is questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Rams, Patrik Walker of the Cowboys' official site reports.
Ferguson logged back-to-back limited sessions after not practicing Wednesday due to a knee injury. If he's unable to suit up, Peyton Hendershot would operate as the primary backup to Dalton Schultz, who returned to action in Week 4 after sitting out the previous contest due to an MCL sprain.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Sees limited work Thursday
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Ferguson (knee) was listed as a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Ferguson failed to practice Wednesday due to an apparent knee issue, but his ability to participate during Thursday's session in a limited fashion is a step in the right direction. Friday's practice/injury report should provide further clarity regarding the rookie tight end's availability for Sunday's contest against the Rams, but Dalton Schultz and Peyton Hendershot would presumably take on larger roles if Ferguson is eventually ruled out.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Not targeted in win
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Ferguson failed to record a single target in Sunday's 20-17 win over the Bengals.
Ferguson was on the field for 56 percent of the Cowboys' offensive snaps, but he was a complete non-factor in the passing game. The rookie tight end could possibly take on an increased role in Week 3 if starter Dalton Schultz is forced to miss time with a PCL injury he suffered against Cincinnati. Though reports indicate that the injury is not considered to be a long-term issue, it's unclear whether or not Schultz will suit up when the Cowboys visit the Giants on Monday night. If he sits, Ferguson would be the next man up. However, the 23-year-old Wisconsin product would likely be hard to trust for fantasy purposes in his first career start against a division rival in primetime.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Could see significant role
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Ferguson could take over the role Blake Jarwin held last season before his career-ending hip injury, according to Bob Sturm of The Athletic.
Even as the No. 2 tight end behind Dalton Schultz, Jarwin was averaging over 35 snaps a game on offense in the first half of the 2021 season before getting hurt in Week 8, and the Cowboys' offense struggled in the second half as it got away from using 12 personnel (one RB, two TE) due to a lack of a reliable option behind Schultz. The decision to draft Ferguson in the fourth round of the 2022 draft seems motivated by a desire to get back to that scheme and philosophy, so the rookie could see the field a lot right out of the gate. Jarwin caught nine of 12 targets for 89 yards and a TD over the first four games of last season, and Ferguson could see similar volume as a receiver to begin his career.
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Cowboys' Jake Ferguson: Second straight strong effort
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Ferguson brought in both targets for 29 yards in the Cowboys' 32-18 preseason win over the Chargers on Saturday night. He also caught a two-point conversion pass.
The rookie turned in another solid performance after having produced a 3-29-0 line in the exhibition opener against the Broncos. Ferguson's impressive body of work over the first two preseason games seemingly sends him into Friday night's preseason finale against the Seahawks with a fairly secure grasp on a depth tight end role behind starter Dalton Schultz.
