Cowboys will miss Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb vs. Raiders

Dak Prescott isn’t likely to have two of his top receiving weapons, Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, for Thursday’s game against the Raiders.

It’s anyone’s guess whether or not the Dallas Cowboys would have won their Week 11 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs if quarterback Dak Prescott had both of his top receiving weapons, wide receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, available for all four quarters.

Cooper was out on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and Lamb subsequently suffered a concussion during the game. And while there’s no direct correlation to the eventual loss, one could make the argument Prescott and Co. would have fared better against Kansas City instead of falling 19-9.

The good news? Dallas can’t dwell on the loss with a quick turnaround ahead of Thursday’s Thanksgiving game against the 5-5 Las Vegas Raiders, losers of three straight and quickly falling out contention within the AFC playoff picture after a hot start to the year.

The bad news? Neither Cooper nor Lamb are anticipated to be back.

Cowboys won’t have Amari Cooper, unknown about CeeDee Lamb

Cooper’s unvaccinated status means he’ll be out for Thursday’s contest, likely requiring an uptick in usage for depth wideouts Cedrick Wilson and Michael Gallup.

Yet the offense is eagerly hoping Lamb can clear the concussion protocol in time for Thursday’s game.

Early anticipation remains hopeful, as the second-year receiver has a chance to appear against the Raiders:

Yet NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Cowboys would be “likely without their two top WRs on Thursday.”

Lamb has been a prime reason why Dallas’ offense has found its resurgence this season, as he’s currently leading the team with 740 yards and six touchdowns on 50 catches. Cooper, with 583 receiving yards, ranks second on the team in that category and will, too, be missed.

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But not quite as much as Lamb, whose field-stretching capabilities were notably absent as soon as he left the game versus Kansas City.

Despite their recent woes, the Raiders pass defense has been notably good this season, allowing opponents an average of just 5.7 yards per pass play, good enough for sixth best in the league after 11 weeks.

While Dallas will fully embrace the “next man up” philosophy with Cooper out and Lamb probably not cleared yet, it would clearly be a bonus if the latter is at least ready to go for Thursday’s game.