Week 3 of the NFL season concludes with a Monday Night Football rivalry showdown between the Cowboys and Giants.
I have two primetime plays – one from each team – to consider. These players aren’t the flashiest of names and are more bargain-bin plays who could surprise.
TE Jake Ferguson, Cowboys
With Dalton Schultz (questionable; knee) getting hurt last week, Ferguson saw his offensive snap rate jump to 56% from 16% in Week 1. Schultz would likely be limited even if he suits up, which should give the rookie a chance to be a part of the offense.
Ferguson caught 7-of-7 passes this preseason and was graded as the fourth-best TE among 92 qualifiers by PFF. He is still looking for his first NFL catch, but if he gets just one reception for a TD, he breaks the slate.
He likely has more chemistry with Cooper Rush than he did with Dak Prescott, as both worked together on the second-team offense throughout camp.
WR Darius Slayton, Giants
If head coach Brian Daboll has taught us anything, it’s that we don’t know what New York's WR rotation will look like from one week to the next.
Slayton was active for the first time in Week 2 and ran more routes than $72 million man Kenny Golladay, so there’s a chance Slayton could have even more of a role with Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) out and Kadarius Toney (hamstring) doubtful.
The key for Slayton is that the Cowboys play the fifth-most man coverage in the league. In his career, he averages 1.80 yards per route against man compared to 1.13 versus zone.
Slayton has stone hands (PFF charges him with a drop on 10.8% of catchable targets in his career), but at minimum price, all he needs is one big play. He has plenty of chemistry with Daniel Jones, as the two entered the league together in 2019.
