Should I Draft Jake Ferguson? Fantasy Football Outlook

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott loves his tight ends. In his 48 games played with the now-retired Jason Witten, the likely Hall-of-Famer snagged nearly 200 passes. When Witten walked off the field in Dallas (the second time), Dalton Schultz, who was barely used in his first two years, stepped up. With an average of 94 targets over three seasons, Schultz became a favorite target option for Prescott.

The Cowboys let Schultz depart for Houston in the offseason, relying on the trio of Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, and rookie second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker to pick up the slack. Schoonmaker has missed a chunk of training camp with plantar fasciitis, cementing Ferguson as the favorite for early playing time.

Can Ferguson replicate the production that Schultz gave fantasy managers? Let's dive in.

Passing Game Weapons For The Cowboys

Jake Ferguson was targeted 22 times as a rookie in 2022, finishing with 19 receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns. The peak performance for the ex-Wisconsin Badger came in Week 6 when he snagged four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. Coincidentally, Schultz was inactive that game.

Ferguson has taken advantage of the first team reps in training camp, showing off his route running and body control.

However, there have been other names in Oxnard, California that are drawing buzz from coaches and reporters. Dallas traded for ex-Texan Brandin Cooks over the summer to play opposite of CeeDee Lamb. Although he's coming off of a disappointing season, the Cowboys say the 29-year-old's speed has stood out while working with Prescott this summer. Cooks has had 1,000-yard receiving seasons in six of his nine NFL campaigns.

Michael Gallup is also making plays in camp. Typically, players can return from an ACL tear in nine-to-12 months, but it usually isn't until the second season removed from the injury that we see them perform at the highest level. Gallup put together a 1,000-yard season in 2019 and followed that up with 843 yards the year after.

Should I Draft Jake Ferguson In Fantasy Football?

The argument that Ferguson can replace the production of Schultz makes sense on paper, even if he is the fifth option on this offense at best. When Schultz had his career-best season, Amari Cooper was on the field with Lamb. The Cowboys will be in a position to score a lot of points and Ferguson will get red zone looks.

The 24-year-old is worthy of a look as a TE2 in fantasy drafts and there's a realistic path to Ferguson ending the season as a top-12 tight end. If you're in a dynasty league, take a peek at your available players list. You may find gold in Ferguson.

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