CeeDee Lamb's health has been a top priority for Dallas Cowboys fans in Week 15 after the star playmaker left Thursday's loss to the Detroit Lions with a concussion. Fortunately, Lamb has been trending in the right direction since being concussed. On Wednesday, he ran through drills during practice, leading to head coach Brian Schottenheimer saying he feels "good" about his No. 1 wideout clearing any remaining barriers to play this week, per The Athletic's Jon Machota.
Lamb still hasn't officially cleared the NFL's concussion protocol, meaning his Week 15 status isn't guaranteed yet. That could put attention back onto the Cowboys' other wide receivers, including Ryan Flournoy, who stepped up massively in Lamb's absence last week and deserves a bigger role moving forward, regardless of the latter's availability.
Cowboys Must Maximize Ryan Flournoy's Opportunities
After a quiet rookie season, Cowboys fans were eager to see if Flournoy would step up in Year 2. The 2025 campaign also started off slowly for the ex-2024 sixth-rounder; however, his outlook improved when Lamb missed the Week 5 clash with the New York Jets, opening the door for Flournoy to post six catches for 114 receiving yards in the 37-22 road win.
As great as the effort was, the hype was short-lived. Flournoy came crashing back down to earth with a 3-30-0 stat line in the next game, followed by five consecutive outings that saw him convert six targets into four catches, 21 yards, and two TDs, firmly taking a backseat behind Lamb and George Pickens as quarterback Dak Prescott's favorite wideouts.
Despite the lessened role, Flournoy didn't let his decreased opportunities keep him down. He kept pushing forward and finally got another opportunity to shine against the Lions, posting a career-best 9-115-1 stat line on 53 offensive snaps. It's the type of performance that proved Flournoy can occasionally fill in for Lamb, as well as the kind that shows he deserves more of a role in Dallas' aerial attack.
Lamb and Pickens are among the NFL's best WR duos, but that doesn't mean they guarantee success each week. The Cowboys learned that the hard way when Pickens had a quiet performance post-Lamb exit, finishing Week 14 with 37 yards and a fumble on five catches. Detroit knew where Dallas was going with the ball as soon as Lamb left, sending a safety over the top to minimize Pickens' deep-threat ability.
Cowboys' Past Success Supports Needed Ryan Flournoy Change
Upping Flournoy's snap count and targets would help the Cowboys with this issue, even if Lamb ends up playing. It's been a long time since Dallas had three wideouts it could rely on at any time during the game, with the most recent example being when Lamb, Amari Cooper, and Cedrick Wilson each had at least 45 catches, 600 yards, and six TDs in 2021.
Interestingly enough, America's Team paced the NFL with 31.2 points and 407.0 yards per game that year, which started a run of three straight 12-win campaigns. In other words, it's easy to see why taking advantage of Flournoy's talents by increasing his opportunities would help the Cowboys reach their offensive ceiling.
Flournoy has yet to string together a strong stretch, but that could all change in Week 15 and beyond. He's now up to two 100-yard outings on the year, which isn't a fluke, and failing to capitalize on his latest would be a big mistake by the Cowboys. The end-of-season stretch is the time when teams must ride the hot hand, even if it belongs to a surprise contributor.
Postseason runs are built on the backs of those who can step up when the pressure is at its highest. Flournoy has proven twice that he has the 'next-man-up' mentality, and properly rewarding him for that could be the difference in how far the Cowboys go this winter.