3 second-year Cowboys who are in the midst of breakout seasons

The Dallas Cowboys rolled over the New England Patriots 38-3 on Sunday, bringing their record following a loss under Mike McCarthy to a ridiculous 9-1. It's clear McCarthy and Dan Quinn had the team ready to play after the Week 3 loss, and players responded with a dominant performance in all three facets. 

Next up? A road date with the 4-0 San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football.

It's the ultimate litmus test for the 3-1 Cowboys. They've played one of the NFL's easiest schedules through four games, and Week 5 gives them an opportunity to extract revenge after the 49ers eliminated them in each of the last two playoffs.

While Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb have spearheaded the Cowboys' 3-1 start, some role players deserve a slice of the credit pie.

With that in mind, let's shower some praise on three second-year players who could become household names by season's end.

3. TE Jake Ferguson

What a start to the season it's been for Jake Ferguson, who was the Cowboys leading receiver in Sunday's win against the Patriots with seven catches for 77 yards. Both are new career-highs for the second-year tight end.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign of Ferguson's second season is his chemistry with Dak Prescott and the sheer trust Dak has when throwing to him. Through four games, Ferguson's 25 targets rank second on the team behind CeeDee Lamb's 30; more than Brandin Cooks, Michael Gallup and Tony Pollard.

Additionally, Ferguson's 72.8 receiving grade is sixth among tight ends who've logged at least 90 receiving snaps. He's averaging an impressive 4.6 yards after the catch per reception, which further cements his status as one of the best TEs in the game at creating yards after the catch.

As if that wasn't enough, Ferguson is one of the PFF's highest-graded blocking tight ends and Prescott has over a 100.0 passer rating when targeting him.

In four games, Ferg has nearly surpassed all of his rookie stats and it's become apparent he has a higher ceiling (as a receiver and blocker) than his predecessor Dalton Schultz, who signed with the Texans in free agency.