Can CeeDee Lamb finish 2021 as the Dallas Cowboys WR1?

Second-year wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has what it takes to be a top NFL wideout, but can he be the Dallas Cowboys’ number one guy?

With the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected a number one wide receiver. It was a huge surprise, but not because the team should have drafted someone else. Instead, it’s because wide receiver CeeDee Lamb should have already been selected.

Team owner Jerry Jones was probably salivating at the thought of welcoming arguably the top receiving talent in the draft to his already potent offense. It’s a dream come true for Mr. Jones.

His talent and potential were undeniable. The issue is some (including myself) were concerned because of the offensive threats already on the team. After all, you can only spread the ball around so much.

The selection immediately brought attention to the future of Michael Gallup. The 2018 third-rounder finished his sophomore season with 1,107 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He combined with Amari Cooper to be one of six duos with 1,000+ receiving yards that season.

In the backfield was a two-time rushing champ in Ezekiel Elliott. Adding CeeDee to an already lethal offense meant the opposition had to pick who would be left open.

Staring down the competition

There was a lot of talent to compete with and four different quarterbacks throwing the ball, but Lamb still had an impressive rookie season. It was good enough to already top Gallup on the depth chart.

He caught 74 of his 111 targets for 935 yards and five touchdowns. Not to mention the Dallas Cowboys handed the ball off to him ten times for 82 yards and one touchdown. While he didn’t eclipse 1,000 receiving yards, he did have more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage.

It was clear that Gallup would suffer the most with Lamb on the team, but he still put up 843 receiving yards. His role as a vertical threat helped make holes in opposing defenses and gave him big plays. Unfortunately for him, his tenure in Dallas will likely end as his contract expires this offseason.

Next up is Cooper, who eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in five of his six seasons in the NFL. Known as one of the better route-runners in the league, he has been the top dog in Dallas since his arrival.

To overtake Cooper, Lamb must convince quarterback Dak Prescott to give him more shots. From there, CeeDee needs to do what CeeDee does. That is making big plays with the ball in his hands.

Because of the jaw-dropping catching ability and elusiveness as a ball carrier, CeeDee Lamb has the potential to end 2021 as the Dallas Cowboys’ top wide receiver. Now, what would that mean for Cooper? I guess we will have to wait and find out.