Career Contextualization
It took only two years for highly-touted wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to earn a trip to the Pro Bowl. After catching 74 balls for 935 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, Lamb caught 79 balls for 1,102 yards and six touchdowns and finished as the WR18 in half-PPR formats.
What are the differences between year one and year two? First, Lamb did more work after the catch, averaging more than a full yard after the catch than as a rookie. After running nearly 85 percent of his routes out of the slot as a rookie, Lamb was utilized more on the outside, lining up inside on just 32.3 percent of his routes in 2021. Lamb certainly proved he could get separation against NFL corners on the outside, but his ability to line up and cause mismatches in the slot on occasion adds to his value.
The early returns suggest Lamb deserved every bit of the hype he generated entering the 2020 draft. The Cowboys seem to think so, as Lamb is now positioned to be Dallas’s leading pass catcher in 2022. Now the question is, can he bust out in year three?
Current Situation
Lamb is poised to be the featured weapon in Dallas’ passing game after the Cowboys parted ways with Amari Cooper, shipping him to Cleveland. The move didn’t come as a huge surprise, as Cooper put up worse stats than Lamb while making much more money.
In terms of opportunity, Cooper’s departure was wonderful news for anyone rostering Lamb in dynasty leagues. However, how Lamb responds to being Dak Prescott‘s go-to guy, as well as the top priority for opposing defenses, will be worth monitoring. The Cowboys are banking on Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz to ease the pressure and attention off the third-year pro.
While there will be more pressure on Lamb now that he’s entrusted as the guy, there’s no doubt that Lamb’s situation and opportunity couldn’t be any better entering his third season.
General Prediction for 2022 and Rest of Career
I suspect year three will be the year CeeDee Lamb fully arrives. His talent is obvious. His situation is glorious. Now we just need to see it. The hope is that Lamb can find his way into the end zone a bit more but, at the very least, should be in the mix for a 1,300-yard season. Lamb is a strong buy in 2022, and it wouldn’t stun me if he becomes the next receiver looking for a significant raise in 2023.
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