The Dallas Cowboys drafted Jake Ferguson in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. The Wisconsin product was selected with the future in mind. He saw limited action in 2022 because of the guys ahead of him, but it looks like he is primed for a big jump in the 2023 season.
2023 Fantasy Football: Jake Ferguson Profile
Recap of 2022 season
Ferguson saw action in 16 games last season but did not see consistency in the offense due to the guys ahead of him in the position group. During the season, he caught 19 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. His best game of the year was in a win against the New York Giants when he caught three passes for 57 yards. There was another game where he caught four passes for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Updated Cowboys outlook
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is back and should be fully healed from a shoulder injury. Zeke Elliot is gone, so Tony Pollard will get the bulk of the carries now. If the Cowboys’ offense functions how it wants, it will be able to run the ball and use the play action to its advantage. If that happens, Prescott will hit his weapons and look like he did at his peak. The defense had trouble stopping the run, but they shored that up in the offseason. The Cowboys will be in contention for the NFC East and a wild card spot.
Best-case scenario
The best case for him is that he explodes, and his production doubles. He will receive more targets, so catching 40 passes for 300 and five touchdowns is not out of the realm of possibility. He will need to be able to pass-block to play, and if he does, his snap count will double. Ferguson can be played as a flex option or a borderline TE1 depending on your rotation and where you select a tight end.
Worst-case scenario
The worst case for him is that his numbers stay the same in 2023, and there is no improvement. Ferguson will have the potential to receive a bigger part of the offense, but it is up to him to earn it. If he can’t separate from defenders, or pass block, he won’t see the field. In this scenario, he is only a flex option off the bench that you play in a bye week.
Prediction
Ferguson takes a step forward, and his production improves. The Cowboys have a few guys in the room who can all contribute, but he steps up and can get meaningful snaps. He and Prescott develop a nice report, and he catches between 30-40 passes for close to 300 yards and four touchdowns. He will be a nice TE option to swap in and out of your lineup depending on matchups.