Can Ferritin Be Normal Even When Someone Has Iron Deficiency?

I am trying to understand how doctors interpret ferritin blood test results. Ferritin is often described as a measure of stored iron, but I have also read that inflammation can affect the result.

If someone has fatigue and a ferritin value within the laboratory’s reference range, how does a clinician decide whether iron deficiency is still worth investigating? Would a recent infection change how much weight they give that number?

I am particularly interested in how transferrin saturation testing, haemoglobin, and inflammatory markers fit together. Is a “normal” ferritin result reassuring on its own, or does its meaning depend on the other findings? I am asking about interpreting the tests, not choosing an iron supplement or dose.