Although the Dallas Cowboys opened the 2024 NFL season with a win over the Cleveland Browns, not everything went right for them in Week 1.
Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson left Sunday’s game after suffering an injury in the third quarter. What happened to Ferguson, and what are the latest reports?
Jake Ferguson Injury Update
Ferguson landed awkwardly after making a third-quarter catch as he tried to jump over Browns linebacker Jordan Hicks. He immediately grabbed at his left knee after falling to the ground.
Dallas’ medical staff evaluated Ferguson before helping him to the locker room. Ferguson did not return to the game, but the Cowboys had a comfortable lead at that point.
Oh no…looks bad for Jake Ferguson…immediately grabbed his knee…#Cowboys pic.twitter.com/dIGmVU0lrg
— Drew Davenport (@DrewDavenportFF) September 8, 2024
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott was optimistic about Ferguson’s status after Dallas’ Week 1 win.
“I think we’ve dodged a big one,” Prescott said, per Nick Harris of the Cowbnoys’ team site. “Just talking to him, he gave me a lot of confidence … He gave me good news.”
Fortunately, Ferguson emerged with only an MCL sprain. While he may miss time, Ferguson has not been ruled out for the Cowboys’ Week 2 game against the Saints, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
On Tuesday morning, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed optimism about Ferguson playing this week in a radio interview with 105.3 The Fan.
Ferguson, 25, broke out for 71 catches, 761 yards, and five touchdowns for the Cowboys in 2023. He was second among Dallas’ pass catchers in receptions and yards, behind only CeeDee Lamb.
The Cowboys have three other tight ends on their roster: 2023 second-rounder Luke Schoonmaker, undrafted rookie free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford, and 2023 UDFA John Stephens Jr., who was inactive in Week 1.
Fantasy Implications of Ferguson’s Injury
The game between the Cowboys and Browns has been troublesome for the tight end position. After we lost David Njoku to an ankle injury earlier in the game, Ferguson was helped off the field. Ferguson looked in a lot of pain, which raises concerns for fantasy managers.
If Ferguson is out, it is not clear that there would be another option that could step up and provide value at the tight end position for the Cowboys. The biggest beneficiary is perhaps Brandin Cooks, who also left the field and headed to the locker room earlier in the game.
Ultimately, this situation likely forces more targets to Lamb, but one of Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, or Kavontae Turpin could be a beneficiary. The problem is that we do not have a clear picture of what it will be, making it tough for fantasy managers.