Will CeeDee Lamb see a big fantasy boost in 2022?
In the Yahoo Fantasy Football Forecast, Liz Loza and Matt Harmon discuss the Cowboys' receiving core after the departure of Amari Cooper and Cedric Wilson in the offseason.
Video Transcript
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MATT HARMON: All of the excitement for CeeDee Lamb last year didn't quite materialize. But like the dynasty whack jobs out there are like kind of down on CeeDee Lamb after-- after a year or two. But I mean, give me a break. The guy was real-- this is another one. Like you go back and watch CeeDee Lamb last year. He was awesome.
And I'm curious where you feel he fits best as like because he's done a little slot receiver stuff. He's done a little outside receiver stuff. I want to see him actually play more on the outside-- get-- certainly get him some slot looks in three receiver sets. That'll be awesome, too. He can do that.
But in Dallas's offense, too, especially when they have and-- obviously, I'm kind of burying the lead here as I talked about earlier that sometimes, it's just like this receiver lost this player. He's going to get a bump in targets. That's obviously the deal with CeeDee Lamb here.
Like they get Amari Cooper out of there. Michael Gallup is-- is going to probably start the season slow, if not just straight up on the PUP. The only consequential additions that they-- they made in this receiver room-- and they lost Cedric Wilson, too, who was their primary slot receiver last year. He signed with the aforementioned Miami Dolphins.
They added James Washington, who I think is interesting, but is currently in a walking boot. And Jalen Tolbert, a-- a receiver I like, but, again, third-round rookie. I do think Jalen Talbot's name to keep an eye on as well. But CeeDee Lamb is just going to dominate this fricking target chariot from the wide receiver position. And I think he is so good.
In Dallas offense, specifically-- like I've long been like Amari Cooper is not that good truther. Like-- like I think he's one of, if not the most overrated receivers in the NFL. The people would think-- think he's a great route runner because the damn, checked down Instagram account posts a couple of cool things-- sure, whatever.
But I think CeeDee Lamb is a better player. I think he's better route runner, better separator, better in contested situations overall. I think if you put him in that like Z-receiver move around the formation, pre-snap that Amari Cooper-- if you put CeeDee Lamb in that role, I think you're going to get a way better and way consistent output than what Amari Cooper is giving you.
And I know you have to like kind of-- you have to pay the iron price [INAUDIBLE] at Game of Thrones. Like he got to pay the iron price to get CeeDee Lamb this year. I think it might be worth it. I think he has top five receiver in his range of outcomes this year.
LIZ LOZA: I think this is an interesting question. I think-- first of all, you mentioned Jalen Tolbert, which I loved. And I think that Jalen Tolbert is probably there as insurance for Michael Gallup.
MATT HARMON: Yeah.
LIZ LOZA: What I don't like about this offense and what I didn't like about it last year is that CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper are both-- different styles certainly but both have the ability to work inside and out, right? They can both work as slot receivers. I think Cooper is way less physical, much more finesse type of receiver, that does-- that can work similar levels of the field as Lamb.
But Lamb has-- I mean, it's trite. We all know it by now. But like the yards after catch ability, the speed, the like a dense physicality almost. I just, you know, like even when I look at them like physically, like CeeDee Lamb is just-- got more spark to the engine. And Cooper is more-- but yeah, like and Cooper is more of a fluid sort of player.
So I wish that this offense had an X, had sort of a traditional bigger outside body. Maybe that will end up being Dalton Schultz in a weird way again. Like I wish there was a little bit more girth frankly to this offense. And I do think that would help Lamb. But I also think, to your point-- and obviously, this is something that you probably share in RP, that Lamb has enough skill to make up for the lack of hulking physical presence, that's missing, I think, from the offense.
MATT HARMON: Yeah, I think all that was really missing for Lamb to smash last year was more volume. And he's certainly going to get more volume now with Cooper out of the way. I just think--
LIZ LOZA: I mean, maybe more help from-- from Dak Prescott, like more consistency, you know?
MATT HARMON: Yeah, definitely, I think that Dak was probably never the same after that-- it was like a quad injury that forced him to-- calf injury that forced him to miss the one week, where Cooper Rush, I think, on Halloween diced up the-- they go-- they won that game against Vikings. CeeDee Lamb was awesome in that game, by the way.
But yeah, I mean ideally it should be Michael Gallup [INAUDIBLE] when he's healthy. But that's a when/if sort of thing. And then, you know, CeeDee Lamb as your flanker, who moves inside and then maybe Jalen Tolbert or James Washington, somebody is that third receiver there that comes in 11 personnel.
But I just think CeeDee Lamb is a guy who doesn't get enough credit for how awesome he was as an individual player last year. I think the volume follows that this year. And again, top five receivers certainly in his range of-- of outcomes.
And I think, the Cowboys were-- it was weird last year. Like Amari Cooper at one point started complaining about like not getting enough targets. They start throwing a bunch of targets towards the end of the season. And the offense-- like they beat up on Washington. When they were a joke of a team, they beat up on the Eagles second stringers.
And then they got thrown their asses right out of the playoffs by the 49ers. Because that offense was in a weird spot. So yeah, I think that CeeDee Lamb is a guy who-- who is really in line to take that leap to like true number one receiver. And we regard him as like as that in fantasy and in real life, too.