The Dallas Cowboys opened the 21-day practice windows for Jonathan Mingo and Caelen Carson as they return from injured reserve, signaling a controlled path back for both players. Activation can come at any point within the window; if they aren’t active, they revert to season-ending IR or could be released or traded. Mingo suffered a sprained PCL in his right knee in the preseason vs Baltimore, while Carson had a hyperextended knee in July.

Cowboys weigh IR-return options four weeks in; Caelen Carson, Phil Mafah, Jonathan Mingo, and Payton Turner are eligible to begin the 21‑day practice window, with activation possible at any point. Shavon Revel Jr. is also cleared to be activated from the Non‑Football Injury list after ACL rehab.

Lamb and Booker aren’t slated for IR but their availability remains uncertain after high ankle sprains. With Malik Hooker sidelined, Juanyeh Thomas is primed for expanded safety duties as Dallas eyes a Week 5 clash with the Jets. Guyton and Miles Sanders could return to face New York, while Revel’s knee remains a watch item.

Team decision timelines will shape which players step in, and fantasy managers should monitor practice reports for concrete activation news and snap expectations before Game Day.

Cowboys promote Jalen Cropper from the practice squad as CeeDee Lamb misses time, adding depth for Week 4 against Green Bay. Cropper, undrafted in 2023 from Fresno State, has appeared once in a game but hasn’t been targeted. With Lamb sidelined, George Pickens is pushed as the top target, while Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin and Ryan Flournoy join the active mix as the depth chart tightens.

Dallas’ extended WR depth also includes rookie Traeshon Holden and Jalen Brooks on the practice squad, and Jonathan Mingo remains out until after Week 4 due to a PCL sprain. The Week 4 game against Green Bay will test how the Cowboys deploy this reshaped pass-catching group and whether Cropper can spark from Day 1.