Multiple injuries, especially on defense, have derailed the Dallas Cowboys‘ 2026 season, and the team sits at 3-5 heading into its Week 9 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. However, as Dallas prepares for Sunday’s game, its defense remains banged up, while several players, including two offensive starters, are now questionable.
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Per the Cowboys Injury Report released ahead of Week 9, wide receiver George Pickens, tight end Jake Ferguson, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown are questionable to play against the Colts. The report showed that all three players were limited in this week’s practice sessions.
For broader context, Pickens was limited in all three practices on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday due to a hamstring injury. The hamstring is not his first problem: he had already been dealing with a shoulder injury for several weeks.
Dallas first listed the shoulder issue during the buildup to its Week 7 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Pickens was limited in practice but ultimately had no game designation and played against the Eagles, catching four receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown.
But things escalated the following week. Before the Week 8 game against the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas added a hamstring injury to his report. Pickens still managed to play, but his performance was limited. He caught just a pair of passes for 48 yards, as Dallas lost in overtime.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer later confirmed that Pickens’ lack of receptions was tied to the injuries. Through eight games this season, the receiver has recorded 39 receptions for 533 yards and two touchdowns. Against the Colts, however, he is currently unlikely to play.
Ferguson’s case, meanwhile, is a bit different than Pickens. The tight end suffered an ankle injury during the opening offensive drive against Arizona and left the field briefly. While he returned to the field after some time, Ferguson eventually exited the game and was ruled out for the rest of the matchup. Heading into the Week 9 matchup, the tight end has 17 receptions for 115 yards and three touchdowns.
However, he is questionable to play against the Colts due to the same injury. Ferguson did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and returned on a limited basis Friday. For now, it’s unclear whether Ferguson will be healthy enough to play against the Colts.
Overshown’s case is more complicated, much like the defense he plays on. Due to a hamstring/back issue, the linebacker was not listed on the Cowboys’ practice report on Wednesday. For the next two days, he participated in practice in a limited capacity.
Overshown suffered the hamstring injury during the Cowboys’ season opener against the New York Giants. During the fourth quarter, he grabbed his right hamstring after a play and hobbled toward the sideline. He was treated by Dallas’ medical staff and attempted to jog on the sideline afterward, but ultimately did not return. An MRI subsequently showed a hamstring strain.
Initially, it was reported that the LB would miss a couple of weeks. However, Overshown went on to miss the next five games for the Cowboys. While he returned to play against the Eagles and the Cardinals, he is currently questionable to suit up against the Colts.
Through the first eight weeks of the season, Dallas ranks seventh in the league in offense, averaging 27.4 points per game. The defense, however, has been disappointing, with the unit ranking 27th while allowing 26.6 points per game. It remains to be seen whether injuries to Pickens and Ferguson will hurt the offense the way defensive injuries have hurt the defense.