The offense had a bunch of positives, but in the end several factors contributed to the club coming up short. | From @BenGrimaldi
It was all there for the taking for the Dallas Cowboys, a big road win against divisional opponent with quarterback Dak Prescott leading the way. In the end it wasn’t meant to be as the Cowboys fell in a crushing 28-23 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9.
Prescott once again answered questions about if he could play well in a big game, and he brought with him some of his receiving options, who helped the offense get the team in position to win the game. The big statistical performances weren’t enough to carry the Cowboys, who made mistakes in critical moments. In a game of inches, Dallas fell just short too many times to walk away with the win. Here are the studs and duds for the Cowboys in a tough Week 9 loss.
Dak Prescott used his legs and then connected on big plays through the air for the tying score.
The Dallas Cowboys decided to test the Philadelphia Eagles’ run defense on their opening drive, and they found themselves in 3rd-and-long. An incompletion sent the ball over to Philly. A bad spot on a Jalen Hurts run brought up 4th-and-short, and the Tush Push brought about a new set of downs.
Another fourth-down conversion eventually led to a Kenneth Gainwell TD and an early Eagles’ lead, but the Cowboys were able to respond. It took a while and multiple Dak Prescott scrambles on drop backs, but Dallas got to their own fourth-down attempt where Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for the conversion.
One play later, Prescott found tight end Jake Ferguson for this second touchdown in two weeks.
The Cowboys answer right back with a TD in Philly!
How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 8
We’re almost at the halfway point of the 2023 NFL season already, or the midpoint of the regular season at least.
The year has always seen former Wisconsin Badgers hold national relevance. Steelers OLB T.J. Watt is playing like an All-pro yet again, Broncos QB Russell Wilson is improving on last year’s disaster, Colts RB Jonathan Taylor is back on the field, Bears ILB T.J. Edwards might finish with 200 total tackles and more.
While the team in Madison is a disappointing 5-3 so far this season, many of the program’s now-NFL players are playing quite well.
For updates on all the players listed above, as well as every other Wisconsin product, here is how every former Badger performed in NFL Week 8:
WATCH: Former Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson scores acrobatic touchdown
Former Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson has been thrust into the starter’s role after joining the team as a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. First, Ferguson backed up starter Dalton Schultz. Now with Schultz in Houston, the former Badger has emerged as the team’s top target at the position.
The Madison, Wisconsin native finished his college career with four equally strong seasons of 456, 407, 305 and 450 yards respectively. The total was 145 catches, 1618 yards and 13 touchdowns, that production coming from Alex Hornibrook, Jack Coan and Graham Mertz as his primary quarterbacks.
Well, Ferguson’s rapport with Cowboys QB Dak Prescott appears to be blossoming. The former Badger scored on Sunday to give Dallas a lead it would not relinquish:
The Cowboys started off shaky, but steadied themselves and took the early lead on the Rams. | From @KDDrummondNFL
The Dallas Cowboys started the game off with the ball, and things were ugly. The rust was clearly in play for the offensive line, who lost left tackle Tyron Smith on Thursday to a neck stinger. On their first three dropbacks, Prescott was sacked three times, only one on third down was negated by an illegal contact penalty.
Dallas took full advantage of the extra chance, getting things together and marching down the field thanks to a renewed commitment to getting the ball to WR CeeDee Lamb. Lamb caught three passes on the drive, but the scoring play came courtesy of the tight end position.
From just inside the red zone, you read that right, Prescott floated a beautiful pass down the seam, over the defense into the outstretched arm of second-year tight end Jake Ferguson for the 18-yard score.
Check out these starts and sits for fantasy football in Week 8.
After an entertaining Thursday night contest, it’s time to prepare for a weekend full of tough decisions as fantasy football managers stare down their lineups awaiting the slate of games in Week 8.
Fortunately, there are no teams on a bye in Week 8, which makes start/sit decisions a bit easier. Still, there are plenty of injuries and trends taking place to factor into the decision-making process.
Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.
Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.
The Cowboys have gotten a mixed bag of results from their TE but there’s optimism for the future because there’s opportunity to improve. | From @ReidDHanson
The Cowboys rolled the dice at the TE position this season. Instead of retaining five-year veteran Dalton Schultz another season, they decided to turn the page on their Stanford product. Their rookie fourth round pick, Jake Ferguson, had impressed in limited action and looked like he had all the makings of a top-line NFL tight end.
Peyton Hendershot, another 2022 rookie, also impressed in limited action. He didn’t have the blocking ability Ferguson did but he flashed impressive play-making traits with the ball in his hands. He looked like he could be a dangerous weapon as a TE3 and possibly more.
While optimism towards the two young TEs reigned supreme, their future was still based on projections and not reality. Ferguson only played 430 snaps as a rookie and Hendershot just 298. Both showed pass-catching ability but neither one logged more than 19 receptions or 174 yards over the season.
Banking on the second-year players to pick up where Schultz left off was a risky proposition, which is why the Cowboys likely targeted the position where they did in the 2023 NFL draft.
With the No. 58 pick in the draft, the Cowboys selected Luke Schoonmaker from the University of Michigan. It was a high pick for the position and received a fair amount of scrutiny at the time. Especially since the 2023 draft was seen to be abnormally deep in TE talent.
But Dallas saw a need and made their pick. The upcoming season was too important to leave in the hands of a pair of unproven second-year players with little draft pedigree. Schoonmaker’s presence stabilized the unit.
Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin headlines this week’s list of fantasy football waiver wire targets.
Four weeks of the 2023 NFL season are now in the books, and we’re about a quarter of the way through the regular season in most fantasy football leagues.
Whether you’re 4-0 or 0-4 in your fantasy football league, every manager loves to find talent on the waiver wire each week.
The biggest waiver wire target this week is Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who totaled 104 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown on just 10 touches in Week 4.
To help fantasy football managers attempt to improve their rosters going into Week 5, we’ve put together a quick list of the ten best waiver wire targets with options at running back, wide receiver, quarterback and tight end.
Each player’s rostered percentage in ESPN fantasy football leagues is listed in parentheses. Ready? Let’s get to the list!
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
Josh Allen
320-17
5
Justin Fields
335-25
4
Anthony Richardson
200-56
3
Lamar Jackson
186-27
4
Justin Herbert
167-27
3
Running Backs
Yards
TD
Christian McCaffrey
20-106
7-71
4
David Montgomery
32-121
2-20
3
Josh Jacobs
17-58
8-81
1
Kyren Williams
25-103
3-24
2
Devon Achane
8-101
3-19
2
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
A.J. Brown
9-175
2
Stefon Diggs
6-120
3
Nico Collins
7-168
2
Puka Nacua
9-163
1
D.J. Moore
8-131
1
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Cole Kmet
7-85
2
Mark Andrews
5-80
2
Jonnu Smith
6-95
0
Jake Ferguson
7-77
0
Andrew Ogletree
3-48
1
Placekickers
XP
FG
Jake Elliott
2
4
Brett Maher
2
3
Tyler Bass
6
2
Brandon McManus
2
3
Brandon Aubrey
3
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Dallas
2-3
2
Jacksonville
4-3
1
Baltimore
3-3
0
Minnesota
5-1
1
Tampa Bay
3-3
0
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB Kenny Pickett – Knee
RB Javonte Williams – Hip
WR Mike Evans – Hamstring
WR Tee Higgins – Rib fracture
WR Khalil Shakir – Head
WR Davante Adams – Shoulder
CB Tre’Davious White – Achilles
TE Donald Parham – Wrist
TE Juwan Johnson – Calf
TE Pat Freiermuth – Hamstring
Chasing Ambulances
Sometimes the next man up is just the right guy.
QB Kenny Pickett – The Steelers hope that he only has a minor MCL sprain but later testing will determine his injury and prognosis. He’d be replaced by Mitchell Trubisky when they host the Ravens next week if needed.
RB Javonte Williams – Injured his hip, but the initial expectation is that he had a hip flexor and that he may not miss any time. Samaje Perine and the rookie Jaleel McLaughlin will share the backfield if Williams misses any time.
WR Mike Evans – Left the win over the Saints with a hamstring injury. HC Todd Bowles said after the game that Evans tweaked it, and he wasn’t sure how serious it might be. Chris Godwin finished with a big game, but the only other notable wideout was second-year Deven Thompkins, who scored his first NFL touchdown on his four catches for 45 yards. The Buccaneers go on their bye, so Evans has two weeks to heal.
WR Tee Higgins – Believed to have suffered a fractured rib that would likely keep him out for multiple weeks. The Bengals are already struggling and this will not help. Tyler Boyd would see more usage, and Ja’Marr Chase would see more coverage. But the passing game from Joe Burrows is struggling anyway.
WR Davante Adams – Had his shoulder crunched when he was tackled in the first half, but did return and finished without any sign of pain. But Adams said after the game that his shoulder was sore. His practices this week should indicate if it is an ongoing issue. He also became the 53rd player to reach 10,000 yards in a career, one of only three current players.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
QB Justin Fields – Go figure. The Bears maligned quarterback spent the first three weeks throwing just one touchdown per week and marginal yardage. Against the Broncos, who once had a great defense, he blew up for 335 yards and four touchdowns while rushing a season-low four times for 25 yards. Granted, the Bears lost, but Fields was the No. 2 fantasy quarterback for the week and he’s found the waiver wire in some smaller leagues.
RB Jaleel McLaughlin – The Broncos lost Javonte Williams to a hip injury and his status will be determined on Monday. The undrafted McLaughlin not only made the team this summer, but he ran for 72 yards on seven carries in the win over the Bears. That included runs of 18, 14, 9, and 31 yards. Samaje Perine only gained 12 yards on his six rushes. But before you spend big in free agency, realize that he is only 5-7 and 183 pounds. HC Sean Payton said they would expand his role while looking for a spark. But Perine will remain involved in all cases and McLaughlin was facing the No. 31 defense against running backs. Then again, McLaughlin has two rushing scores on the year – the only ones by any Bronco.
WR Michael Wilson – The Cardinals’ third-round rookie scored his first touchdowns on his seven catches for 76 yards in the loss to the 49ers. Rondale Moore failed to catch either of his targets in that game, and only Marquise Brown (10) had more targets as a wideout. Wilson posted two catches for 86 yards in Dallas during Week 3. He’s at least worth tracking, if not throwing onto a deep roster in a big league.
TE Jonnu Smith – The Falcons treatment of Kyle Pitts took another odd turn when Smith, aka the other tight end, led the team with six catches for 95 yards on the London loss to the Jaguars. No other receiver gained more than 32 yards, and Pitts was left with two receptions for only 21 yards. That doesn’t make Smith a reliable free agent to grab, but it does make Pitts very hard to consider for any further fantasy starts.
TE Jake Ferguson – The Cowboys tight end was productive in Week 4 with seven catches for 77 yards to lead the Cowboys. That’s his season-high but came in a matchup with the Patriots who handled the Dallas wideouts well enough to force passes to the tight ends.
RB Devon Achane – Both he and Raheem Mostert blew up with a game for the ages last week. Versus the Bills, Mostert crashed to earth with only nine yards on seven carries while Achane ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns on eight rushes. Both backs caught three passes. Achane has quickly became a major factor in the backfield and now is dominating the box score over Mostert.
RB Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers – The Vikings acquired Akers last week and he saw his first action as a Viking. He gained 40 yards on five rushes with two catches for 11 yards. HC Kevin O’Connell said he would go with the hot hand, and Mattison shined for the second week in a row, rushing for 95 yards on 17 carries. The Vikings also finally won a game while passing for only 139 yards. The backfield cannot support two viable fantasy starters, so Mattison has to hold Akers off, or it just becomes a risky and inconsistent situation.
RB Khalil Herbert – The Bears backfield is already leaving D’Onta Foreman inactive for games. The rookie Roschon Johnson appeared to be making inroads to taking a clear primary role, but not so fast. Herbert just gained 103 yards on 18 carries and caught four passes for 19 yards and one touchdown. Johnson only gained a total of 14 yards on his six touches. This could all change next week, but Herbert did himself a lot of good in showing up big in Week 4.
RB Kareem Hunt – His first game back with the Browns happened in a week with Deshaun Watson out and Dorian Thompson-Robinson as the starter – a profound difference since the Browns only scored three points. Hunt rushed for only 12 yards on five carries and had no targets. His return is less than triumphant but could pick up once Watson is back.
QB C.J. Stroud and company – The Texans passing production is bringing up memories of Deshaun Watson. The rookie threw for his third straight game with two scores and 280+ yards. In each game, a wideout recorded at least 145 yards. Nico Collins (7-168, 2 TD) just had his second monster performance in the big win over the Steelers.
RB Alvin Kamara – Derek Carr played with a bad shoulder, and it showed with only 127 passing yards in the loss to the Buccaneers. But Kamara’s debut had him lead the backfield with 11 carries for 51 yards and catch 13 passes for 33 yards. He caught more passes than the other receivers combined.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers star is the No. 1 fantasy running back and starting to pull away with 120 PPR points for a near 30-point lead over all other backs. Facing the visiting Cardinals, McCaffrey ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries and still added seven catches for 71 yards and a fourth touchdown. The first back selected in most fantasy leagues, he’s paying off every week.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
