Jake Ferguson
Ferguson has gone from last year's main tight end target to a touchdown-dependent piece of a Dallas passing game that runs through other players, and current reporting has him trending down.
Role
He is listed first at tight end on RotoWire's Cowboys page, ahead of Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker, but that page's snap table was undated and I could not confirm current snap shares. Through six games he had 17 catches on 24 targets for 115 yards and three touchdowns (RotoWire via CBS, Oct. 19). NBC/Rotoworld says WR3 Ryan Flournoy out-targeted him in five of six games. Spann-Ford also out-targeted him in Week 6, catching 4 of 5 for 35 yards to Ferguson's 2 of 3. In Week 4 he was chipping and blocking a lot. An NBC headline dated Oct. 27 says he was blanked against the Eagles in a win, and I could not read the details of that game. The apparent competition for looks is Pickens (13 targets in Week 5), Flournoy and Spann-Ford, and I did not find a Lamb target figure.
Ferguson still holds the top tight end spot and has scored three times on 24 targets, so his touchdown efficiency is real. Dallas threw 54 passes in Week 6 and remains a high-volume offense, and he has made key catches, such as a fourth-down grab on the go-ahead drive against Houston. Any rebound would most likely come from a few more targets and a red-zone score.
NBC/Rotoworld calls him a touchdown-dependent TE2 who has been held to 43 yards or fewer in five straight games, and says he is the fourth option at best in the passing game. His yards per route run were a career-low 0.71 through four games, he averaged 2.5 yards after the catch, and he had two costly drops in Week 5, one of which led to an interception. PFF graded him last among qualified tight ends. He has had no touchdown since Week 3, and the WR3 and the backup tight end are taking targets from him.
Where analysts split
broad agreement
Injury: Out: assessed real
Low-ankle sprain, questionable for Week 9
Ferguson was ruled out Sunday and diagnosed with a low-ankle sprain; while his coach says he has a chance to play, his Week 9 availability depends on how he handles practice Wednesday through Friday, so treat him as uncertain until those reports come in.
What would change this: His practice participation level Wednesday through Friday ahead of the Indianapolis game.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at TE
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