Dallas Cowboys: In CeeDee Lamb we trust, expect WR1 breakout

After logging the #1 ranked offense and scoring over 500 points last season, the Dallas Cowboys offense was one of the best in the franchise history. The Cowboys offense obliterated opposing defenses with ease and cruised through its division.

The Cowboys averaged 40 points a game against its NFC East counterparts and put on an offensive clinic on how to utilize wide receiving threats like Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb, Cedrick Wilson, Dalton Schultz, along with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.

But what separated the Cowboys offense from the majority of their competition was that they had the best trio of receivers in the league with Coop, Gallup, and Lamb. But now that Coop and Wilson are gone and Gallup is on the mend from an ACL injury, the offense will lean heavily on Lamb as WR1.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has all of the traits to be the Cowboys WR1 and have a breakout year.

Why #88 is a WR1 and will carry the offense

Losing four-time pro bowler Cooper was definitely a blow to Dallas’ offense and put the spotlight on Lamb instantly as Dallas’ best offensive receiving threat. With Coop taking on double teams-and Gallup stretching the field, Lamb made the best of his opportunities and feasted on single coverage to the tune of 79 receptions for 1,102 yards, six touchdowns, and averaged 13.9 yards a reception.

In just two short years, Lamb has already accumulated 153 receptions, 2,037 yards, 11 touchdowns, and averages 13.3 per reception.

With those stats in his second season, Lamb made his first Pro Bowl appearance with many to follow, and undoubtedly, one reason why Dallas’ front office felt comfortable trading Coop because of Lamb’s ability to be a WR1. Further, Lamb has shown he has the capability of making the big plays when needed-like scoring the game-winning touchdown against the New England Patriots in overtime.

Still a raw talent in some areas, Lamb has all of the characteristics you want in a true WR1: speed, runs the complete route tree, can beat man coverage, intelligent, and can make those tough, contested catches. Even though Lamb had eight drops last season, that is fixable, and he makes up with those drops with his clutch plays. Besides, the drops are fixable, and he is still a young talent with a tremendous upside.

Let us also mention Lamb’s toughness and availability as a 6’2, 190-pound receiver. Lamb does not avoid contact, he blocks, returns punts, and doesn’t miss games. For a man his size, it would be understandable if Lamb ran out of bounds or immediately goes to the ground after making a catch, but he runs for pay dirt every opportunity he gets.

Like I stated in the above paragraph, Lamb is still raw in some areas, like his communication with Dak Prescott and some of the routes he runs, but the two are going into their third year together. So, with another full training camp together and offseason workouts to boot, the chemistry will be there for the both of them to be on the same page and create scoring opportunities galore. There were times last season where if Lamb had run the right route, he would have scored a touchdown or at least gave Dallas a crucial first down.

The ball was there but he was not. Nonetheless, a coachable issue. 

Lamb is living up to the legendary #88 status

The one thing that gets overlooked about Lamb’s performance in his first two years is how he does not get enough credit for how he played when Coop was here. In other words, Lamb did exactly what a first-round pick and former All American wide receiver was supposed to do: perform at an elevated level.

Just because Coop took on double coverages did not automatically mean Lamb would be successful. Some rookies come into the “Big D” and cannot live up to the hype or just don’t have the talent to succeed. In his rookie season, Lamb was an instant hit and missed the 1,000-yard receiving mark by 65 yards.

Be mindful Lamb played with four different quarterbacks that year (Dak, Andy Dalton, Ben DiNucci, and Garrett Gilbert) and with an abbreviated, short training camp. The talent is there, but offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and head coach Mike McCarthy have to get the ball to Lamb by any means necessary, even if that means Dak forcing it to him.

Like his predecessors that wore #88, much is expected of Lamb to be the man on the field, but unlike them, Lamb is more physically gifted with potential to get even better because he possesses a different skillset. That is scary.

For example, whenever Lamb catches a pass, he runs as smooth and with as much power as a running back because he is elusive and quick. This means Lamb should play in the slot as much as possible because he has the ability to take a 5-yard slant to pay dirt just like Coop used to do. Which means…

Lamb can be what Coop was to Dallas’ offense back in 2018 when the Dallas Cowboys traded for him. Dallas wisely traded for Coop, won the NFC East, and won a playoff game. Year three is the year where Lamb dominates like Coop and elevates the rest of the receivers-yep, that includes Gallup, too.

Wide receivers James Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Simi Fehoko, Noah Brown, and Ty Fryfogle are better than the supporting cast of receivers from 2018, so Dak will have plenty of options with defenses scheming for Lamb.

Every team’s desire to have a WR1 because it makes the offense so much better, and Dallas has one in Lamb, an upcoming star that shines when the lights are the brightest. So, in Lamb we shall trust!