Team news: Dallas Cowboys | Page 3

The Steelers did not have receiver George Pickens for their Week 14 victory over the Browns and they are likely to be without him again against the Eagles on Sunday.

Head coach Mike Tomlin said in his Tuesday press conference that Pickens could be characterized as doubtful for Week 15, but there is still an outside chance he’ll play.

The Steelers thought Pickens would play last week but was eventually ruled out. After Sunday’s contest, Pickens underwent an MRI, which revealed the injury was more significant than initially believed, the story said. Reports from those who follow the team on Monday mentioned it was unlikely Pickens would play, and that's certainly looking like the case.

The Cowboys’ loss to the Bengals on Monday night dropped them to 5-8 on the season and left them with scant hope of making it to the playoffs this season, but that’s not going to lead to a shift in their plan at quarterback.

That was the word from team owner Jerry Jones on Tuesday morning. Cooper Rush has been the team’s starter since Dak Prescott’s hamstring injury, but there have been questions about whether the Cowboys will take a look at Trey Lance before his contract expires at the end of the season.

The story said Jones has been resistant to playing Lance and that he hasn't changed his mind about who will start against the Panthers in Week 15. Jones added in a quote he thought the team "did some good things out there" against the Bengals, and that he believes Rush "gives us our best chance." Unless things change over the final couple of weeks, it doesn't look like Lance is going to get any kind of chance in Dallas.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales gave an update on running back Jonathon Brooks’s knee injury at his Monday press conference and it was not a positive one.

Canales said that Brooks tore the ACL in his right knee during Sunday’s 22-16 loss to the Eagles. Brooks tore the same ACL during his final season at Texas and the second-round pick was playing in his third game after being activated from the non-football injury list.

Related players: Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone

It's a terrible outcome for what many considered the top RB back at the NFL Draft. Brooks will look to be back before the start of next season, but given how careful the Panthers were with Brooks coming into this season, one can assume they will take a similar path. As the story said, Hubbard went over 1,000 yards against the Eagles, and with Sanders already injured and Blackshear injured during the game, Hubbard was forced to carry the load. He should continue to do so for the rest of the season. The team has Boone on the practice squad, but will likely need to make anther move at the position.

“George Pickens was listed as questionable,” head coach Mike Tomlin said, via the team’s website. “We didn’t feel like he was going to be able to play the number of snaps we thought would be worth putting him a uniform for. We didn’t want a small problem to become a big problem.”

The story said a report on Sunday morning indicated that Pickens would be able to play after being added to the injury report on Friday, but he was eventually ruled out. There are some who follow the team who feel like Pickens will not be available Week 15 against the Eagles, so we'll have to continue to monitor his practice status this week. There has been no official word yet from the team as far as Pickens' status for Week 15, however.

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is off the injury report and is good to go for Monday against the Bengals.

Lamb is still dealing with an AC joint injury but did practice Friday and Saturday (the Cowboys held a walkthrough Saturday). Lamb has said he’s been dealing with the injury for a few weeks but that he does have full range of motion and should be fine for Monday. He officially has no game designation for the game. Lamb is our WR10 this week.

CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) has no doubts he will play Monday. "It comes with the territory man. It’s about being a baller and it’s about going out there and sacrificing, putting yourself out there for your guys. And that’s what I'm doing. As far as Monday goes, I’ll be fine by then."

Related Players: KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Tolbert, Brandin Cooks

The Cowboys have a great MNF matchup against a Bengals defense ranking 30th in WR aFPA, so this is great news for Lamb managers. Consider him a volume-based WR1 for Week 14.

Cowboys ruled out Jake Ferguson for the Thanksgiving game vs. the New York Giants due to his concussion. His replacement, once again, will be Luke Schoonmaker.

This was expected, but it could have been a nice matchup for the No. 2 pass-catcher. Schoonmaker is a little less exciting but is worth a TE stream for desperate managers.

Long list here, but this is what I’ve gathered:

Guys I expect to play: Brandin Cooks, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith, Cooper Rush

Guys I don’t expect to play: Jake Ferguson, Caelen Carson (possible IR), Zack Martin, Asim Richards

Gonna be close: Trevon Diggs, Eric Kendricks, Marshawn Kneeland

Related players: Luke Schoonmaker

Ferguson didn't practice Tuesday and remains in protocol, while Rush and Lamb both logged limited sessions. Cooks was also limited. Harris expects Rush, Lamb and Cooks to all play on Thanksgiving against the Giants. If Ferguson is out, Schoonmaker makes for a nice option as a replacement TE in fantasy lineups.

Jones said there’s a good chance Brandin Cooks and Tyler Smith will be able to play Thursday. Trevon Diggs also has a chance. It’s “a little more of a long shot” for Zack Martin and Jake Ferguson.

Related players: CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin, Luke Schoonmaker

Cooks practiced last week but ended up not playing in Week 12. Ferguson is in protocol and it seems like the early week game will keep him out once again. Lamb collected 12 targets to lead the team by far against the Commander and Schoonmaker and Tolbert each had four. It's no lock that Cooks steps right into a big role, even in a good matchup against the Giants on Thanksgiving. Schoonmaker would be worth a start for those needing TE help.

Cowboys list TE Jake Ferguson as out for Sunday’s game vs. Washington due to his concussion.

Related Players: Luke Schoonmaker

This puts Schoonmaker more or less in TE streaming consideration, but there are far better options this week, which puts him low on the totem pole.