Who Should I Start? Jake Ferguson or Brock Bowers

Friday, January 2, 7:54 PM

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (calf) has been removed from the Week 18 injury report and will play in Sunday's regular-season finale against the division-rival New York Giants. Ferguson didn't practice on Wednesday, was limited on Thursday, and upgraded to a full practice on Friday. The 26-year-old will be active this weekend, but after not finishing last week's Christmas Day win over the Washington Commanders, the Cowboys probably are in no hurry to play Ferguson the same as they normally would in a meaningless game. Fantasy managers should consider him to be a very volatile streaming option at the position, especially since quarterback Dak Prescott might not play a full game. Ferguson was a big part of Dallas' high-scoring offense in 2025, setting career-highs in catches (81) and touchdown receptions (eight) while racking up 595 receiving yards in 16 games.

Wednesday, December 24, 11:30 AM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (knee) has been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2025 season, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Pelissero notes that Bowers has been battling a lingering knee injury since Week 1, and the 2-13 Raiders are now focused on making sure their star tight end is fully healthy for 2026. Across 12 games this season, the 23-year-old recorded 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns on 86 targets. With Bowers sidelined, Raiders tight end Michael Mayer is likely in line for a spike in both playing time and target share. Across a two-game stretch in Weeks 6 and 7 with Bowers inactive, Mayer recorded six catches for 60 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. For fantasy managers now left scrambling to fill the tight end position, Mayer could be a solid streamer in Week 17 against the New York Giants.