Schoonmaker was drafted in the second round by the Cowboys but has failed to make a mark in their pass game. He is not worth rostering in Fantasy leagues.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday that Schoonmaker is in the concussion protocol, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Schoonmaker departed Tuesday's practice early and is now in the concussion protocol, meaning he'll need to gain full clearance before suiting up for a game. That effectively rules the No. 2 tight end out for Friday's preseason finale against the Falcons, though he'll have just over two weeks to return to full health before Week 1 against the Eagles on Thursday, Sept. 4. Likely No. 3 tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford (ankle) hasn't practiced since late July, so for the time being John Stephens and Princeton Fant figure to benefit from increased reps behind Jake Ferguson as they each compete to make Dallas' initial 53-man roster.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Leaves practice with injury
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Schoonmaker (undisclosed) left Tuesday's practice early, Garrett Podell of CBS Sports reports.
It's not clear at this point what kind of injury Schoonmaker is dealing with, but any health issue this close to the start of the regular season would be concerning. The 2023 second-round pick ranked second among Dallas tight ends in offensive snaps last season as a capable blocker and reliable short-range target. With Brevyn Spann-Ford (ankle) also tending to an injury, the door could be open for John Stephens and/or Princeton Fant to make a run at a spot on the Cowboys' initial 53-man roster.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Takes step forward in second season
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Schoonmaker caught 27 of 36 targets for 241 yards and a touchdown over 17 regular-season games in 2024.
The second-year tight end took a step forward with his production, and over a three-game stretch in Weeks 11-13 during which Jake Ferguson was dealing with a concussion, Schoonmaker delivered a solid 14-144-1 line on 20 targets. The Michigan product will head into 2025 in the No. 2 spot on the Dallas depth chart, but if Ferguson deals with injuries once again, Schoonmaker has shown he's capable of handling the starting job.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Two grabs despite Ferguson's return
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Schoonmaker brought in both targets for 22 yards in the Cowboys' 27-20 loss to the Bengals on Monday night.
Schoonmaker encouragingly remained involved to an extent even with fellow tight end Jake Ferguson making his return from a two-game absence due to a concussion. Schoonmaker had seen 20 total targets over the previous three games, and although his participation will likely continue to be modest now that Ferguson is healthy, it appears the former has earned a more active role than he previously enjoyed due to his solid play in recent weeks.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Held to 33 yards
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Schoonmaker recorded five receptions on six targets for 33 yards in Thursday's 27-20 win over the Giants.
Schoonmaker looked to be in for a massive game in the absence of Jake Ferguson (concussion), as he caught all five of his passes within Dallas' first two offensive possessions. However, the Cowboys were able to play from ahead for most of the contest, limiting the passing volume of Cooper Rush. Ferguson has 11 days to progress through concussion protocol, but Schoonmaker has the chance to remain a decent streaming option heading into a Week 14 matchup against the Bengals.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: TEs to Sit
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Schoonmaker has done well filling in for Jake Ferguson (concussion) the past two weeks, and Ferguson is out again on Thanksgiving Day. But I don't like the matchup for Schoonmaker against the Giants, who are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. Ja'Tavion Sanders in Week 10 is the lone tight end to score a touchdown against the Giants, and they held Cade Otton to one catch for 30 yards on three targets in Week 12. Schoonmaker has scored at least 11.6 PPR points in his past two games against Houston and Washington, but I would sit him in most formats against the Giants.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Sleeper TEs
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Jake Ferguson (concussion) is not expected to play in Week 12 at Washington, and Schoonmaker is a good replacement option in deeper leagues. He stepped in for Ferguson in Week 11 against Houston and caught six passes for 56 yards on 10 targets, and hopefully, he continues to get that much attention against the Commanders. It helps that Washington has allowed four tight ends to score at least 10.7 PPR points in the past five games, with three touchdowns allowed over that span.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Poised for bigger role Sunday
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Schoonmaker will stand to take on a bigger role than normal Sunday at Washington with Jake Ferguson (concussion) ruled out for the contest, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Ferguson lasted seven offensive snaps during Monday's game against the Texans before departing with a concussion. The development freed up more work for other Cowboys tight ends, as Schoonmaker led the position in snap share (53 percent) and targets (10), while Brevyn Spann-Ford earned 49 and five, respectively. Such a breakdown implies Schoonmaker will share the load rather than take on Ferguson's outsized role (typically, at least 75 percent of snaps in five of his previous six healthy appearances). Still, Schoonmaker's 10 targets translated to six catches for 56 yards Week 11, so he should be plenty busy behind No. 1 WR CeeDee Lamb.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Jake Ferguson (concussion) is not expected to play in Week 12 at Washington, and Schoonmaker is a good replacement option in deeper leagues. He stepped in for Ferguson in Week 11 against Houston and caught six passes for 56 yards on 10 targets, and hopefully he continues to get that much attention against the Commanders. It helps that Washington has allowed four tight ends to score at least 10.7 PPR points in the past five games, with three touchdowns allowed over that span.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Week 12 Waiver Priority List
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Jake Ferguson (concussion) left Week 11 against Houston, and Schoonmaker stepped up with six catches for 56 yards on 10 targets. We'll see if Ferguson can return in Week 12 against Washington, but if he's out then add Schoonmaker in deeper leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Steps in early for injured starter
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Schoonmaker had six receptions (on 10 targets) for 56 yards in Monday's 34-10 loss to the Texans.
Starter Jake Ferguson (concussion) exited early Monday after being checked for a head injury, opening the door for Schoonmaker to take over as the primary tight end for most of the contest. The second-round sophomore posted career-high receiving numbers while matching his previous game high of six receptions that he set back in Week 2 against the Saints. Fantasy managers desperate for a tight end Week 12 will have to wait on Ferguson's status in the coming days before finalizing any waiver claims on Schoonmaker following a solid effort against Houston.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Only one grab against Ravens
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Schoonmaker caught one of two targets for five yards in Sunday's loss to the Ravens.
With Jake Ferguson back in the lineup after missing last week's contest with a knee injury, Schoonmaker saw his usage predictably crater. The second-year tight end still has seven catches through three games, a vast improvement on the eight receptions he managed in 17 games as a rookie, but his role in the Dallas offense will remain minor as long as Ferguson stays healthy.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Six catches in Sunday's start
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Schoonmaker caught all six of his targets for 43 yards in Sunday's 44-19 loss to the Saints.
With Jake Ferguson (knee) sidelined, Schoonmaker stepped into the starting lineup and made some athletic grabs, although his longest gain went for only 15 yards. The 2023 second-round recorded only eight receptions total as a rookie, but he appears ready to make an impact in his second NFL campaign. Ferguson's status for a Week 3 clash with the Ravens is still uncertain, but Schoonmaker's performance should reassure the Cowboys that they don't need to rush their starting tight end back into action.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Slated for increased workload
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Schoonmaker is in line to be the Cowboys' No. 1 tight end Sunday against the Saints with Jake Ferguson (knee) doubtful to play, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
A 2023 second-round pick, Schoonmaker has yet to miss a game in his brief NFL career, but he also has just eight catches (on 15 targets) for 65 yards and two touchdowns in 18 regular-season contests. As such, he won't hold as much sway as Ferguson for as long as the latter is sidelined due to an MCL sprain, but the increased opportunity for Schoonmaker should result in more regular looks from quarterback Dak Prescott. The other options to fill in at the position are Brevyn Spann-Ford and practice-squad member Princeton Fant.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Week 2 Waiver Priority List
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For now, Schoonmaker is the No. 2 tight end for the Cowboys behind Jake Ferguson, who could be out in Week 2 with a knee injury. In deeper leagues, if Schoonmaker were to get the start in Dallas in Week 2 against New Orleans, he would be worth adding in deeper leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Could get start in Week 2
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Schoonmaker may get an opportunity to start versus the Saints in Week 2 with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reporting that Jake Ferguson (knee) is expected to miss time.
Schoonmaker and undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford each played 30 percent of the offensive snaps as backups to Ferguson in Week 1 versus Cleveland. However, neither tight end was targeted in the game while fullback Hunter Luepke saw two targets after Ferguson's exit, catching both for 18 yards. Considering the investment Dallas made by selecting Schoonmaker in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, he should be the favorite to fill in for Ferguson atop the depth chart, but he caught only eight passes in 2023. Ferguson is reportedly considered week-to-week due to a bone bruise and MCL sprain, so he figures to be sidelined multiple contests. John Stephens (hamstring), who was inactive in Week 1, could also be in the tight end mix for Dallas once he gets healthy.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Suits up for preseason opener
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Schoonmaker saw two targets but failed to catch either one in Sunday's 13-12 preseason loss to the Rams.
The second-year tight end had been dealing with a groin injury early in training camp, but he was deemed healthy enough to start Sunday while Jake Ferguson sat out the preseason opener along with the rest of the Cowboys' offensive starters. Schoonmaker didn't make any kind of impact, though, letting a short pass from Trey Lance go through his hands on the team's second drive before the duo failed to connect on a deep out on the next play. Schoonmaker's status as a second-round pick in 2023 gives him the edge on winning the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, but he's struggled to stay healthy to begin his career and could face a stiff challenge in camp from John Stephens.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Dealing with groin issue
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Schoonmaker didn't practice Saturday and is considered day-to-day due to a groin injury, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reports.
The fact that the injury has been deemed day-to-day rather than week-to-week suggests it's not serious, but it's unclear when Schoonmaker may get back on the field. The second-year pro is slated to work as Dallas' No. 2 tight end behind Jake Ferguson this season. The former has struggled to stay healthy since the end of the 2023 campaign, though, as he underwent offseason shoulder surgery and then missed OTAs due to a hamstring issue before suffering the current groin injury.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Missing OTAs with hamstring issue
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Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday that Schoonmaker (shoulder) could miss the entirety of OTAs due to a hamstring injury, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Per Todd Archer of ESPN.com, McCarthy confirmed that Schoonmaker's rehab from shoulder surgery has gone well, but the young tight end is now tending to a new injury. The 2023 second-round pick has had issues staying healthy in his young career, as he previously missed time last spring after being drafted due to a foot issue. Despite batting the shoulder problem as a rookie, Schoonmaker still appeared in all 17 regular-season games.
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Cowboys' Luke Schoonmaker: Nabs reception in Week 13 win
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Schoonmaker played 25 of the Cowboys' 89 snaps on offense and recorded one reception for 12 yards on one target in Thursday's 41-35 win over the Seahawks.
Schoonmaker drew a target for the sixth consecutive game and has cobbled together a 6-60-1 receiving line during that stretch. The rookie out of Michigan has been operating as the Cowboys' No. 2 tight end behind starter Jake Ferguson for most of the season, though Schoonmaker's standing on the depth chart could be affected by the return of Peyton Hendershot (ankle), who was activated from injured reserve Wednesday.
