The Cowboys went into Cleveland and came away with a resounding win over the Browns, but they're holding their breath for good news about their tight end.
Jake Ferguson left Sunday's Week 1 game with an injury in the second half, leaving Dak Prescott short one major target. The win was already in the Cowboys' grasp, but Ferguson's status going forward is a concern.
Ferguson had 15 yards on three catches before the injury, trailing only CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks with five targets in the win. The 25-year-old enjoyed a breakout season in 2023, totaling 761 yards and five touchdowns as part of Dallas' high-flying passing offense.
Here are the latest injury updates on Ferguson, as well as the fantasy outlook for Cowboys tight ends.
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Jake Ferguson injury update
Ferguson took a hit to his knee in the third quarter and walked back to the locker room with assistance. He was initially listed as "questionable" to return but did not see the field again with the score so lopsided.
Ferguson was seen leaving the Cowboys' locker room limping with his knee wrapped, though he wasn't on crutches.
The tight end told reporters he will undergo an MRI on Monday and added he hopes he's just dealing with a hyperextension.
Prescott echoed the optimism, telling reporters , “I think we’ve dodged a big one. Just talking to him, he gave me a lot of confidence.”
Tests on Monday confirmed Ferguson avoided ACL damage, revealing a sprained MCL that will sideline him for a bit but not for the remainder of the season. Like Jordan Love's MCL sprain, the severity will determine Ferguson's exact timeline.
Sunday's game was a massive success for the Cowboys, with the defense sacking Deshaun Watson six times in its first game under DC Mike Zimmer and Dak Prescott managing the offense well despite not being asked to do too much. An extended absence for Ferguson would put a considerable damper on that momentum, though the third-year TE seems to believe his prognosis won't be too bad.
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Jake Ferguson fantasy outlook
Ferguson ranked as SN's No. 9 tight end in PPR leagues entering the season and No. 10 among all tight ends for Week 1. While he didn't deliver with only 15 yards on three catches, nothing from Ferguson's play should give fantasy owners any pause.
He was targeted five times in two-and-a-half quarters, behind only Lamb and Cooks, and the Cowboys shied away from doing too much work through the air after they built up a sizable lead; while Prescott threw 32 passes, he was largely limiting risks and keeping it to short gains.
Once Ferguson is back on the field, he's likely to slot in right where he was projected entering the season. If he's forced to miss time, though, Luke Schoonmaker is next on the depth chart. The second-year tight end didn't have a catch on Sunday and likely doesn't have the same ceiling as Ferguson as a receiver, so most Ferguson targets could be directed to wide receivers.
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