May 6, 2026, 5:15 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has finished as the TE8 in two of his last three seasons, most recently posting 600 yards on a career-high 82 receptions while scoring 8 times. At RotoBaller's TE13 heading into 2026 drafts, he's going later than what he has already shown to be somewhat of a baseline, and under the right circumstances, he's capable of putting up week-winning performances. With five-time Pro Bowl receiver CeeDee Lamb missing time early in the year with a high ankle sprain, Ferguson became a safety blanket for quarterback Dak Prescott, seeing the fourth most targets in the league through the first five weeks of the season, and pacing as the fantasy TE1 through Week 7. The presence of Lamb and 2025 breakout George Pickens is enough to keep Feguson from cracking the top-12, but should either miss time in 2026, the former fourth-rounder out of Wisconsin has insurance upside rare to the position, capable of stepping into a top-two role in one of the league's most potent offenses without looking out of place. Even with Dallas' two Pro Bowl receivers at full health, Ferguson's floor is still high enough to more than justify his 10th-round ADP. In the 11 games in which all three players saw a normal workload in 2025, Ferguson made at least five catches in seven. With the Cowboys' focus through free agency and the NFL Draft squarely on the defensive side of the ball, Ferguson's role should look familiar entering his fifth season in Dallas. For 2026 drafters opting to wait on tight end, the 27-year-old profiles as a can't-miss late-round pick, both for his reliable volume-based floor and legitimate top-five upside.--Patrick McGrath