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CeeDee Lamb earns honorable mention in wide receiver rankings, Amari Cooper absent

By Lauren Barash

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 31: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts against the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth quarter U.S. Bank Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 31: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts against the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth quarter U.S. Bank Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /
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There has been a lot of talk about the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver group this offseason. A lot has changed and a lot is up in the air. The team chose to trade away their WR1 Amari Cooper to the Browns. As if they needed more change, they also let solid and consistent WR3 Cedrick Wilson go in free agency. That leaves CeeDee Lamb as the only previous starter available to start Week 1 for the Cowboys given that newly re-signed WR Michael Gallup is still recovering from injury.

So, does Lamb have the star power Dallas needs to carry this WR corps? Dak Prescott thinks so. But it appears that a group of 50 NFL executives, coaches, scouts and players don’t. The 23-year-old was not part of ESPN’s top 10 wide receivers list. The reality is this league is filled with incredibly talented wideouts. The top ten were:

  1. Davante Adams, Raiders
  2. Cooper Kupp, Rams
  3. Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals
  4. Justin Jefferson, Vikings
  5. Tyreek Hill, Dolphins
  6. Stefon Diggs, Bills
  7. DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals
  8. Mike Evans, Bucs
  9. Deebo Samuel, 49ers
  10. DK Metcalf, Seahawks

The honorable mentions were Lamb, Keenan Allen, A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin, Chris Godwin, Michael Thomas, and Mike Williams.

Notice that Cooper’s name is no where to be found.

https://twitter.com/ESPNNFL/status/1547243040267436034?s=20&t=eb6AwFZMZwrB1o-HgmXKKQ

Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb was named an honorable mention in ESPN’s top 10 WR rankings

This must make the front office feel better about their highly-criticized decision to let Cooper go. Not only did the now Brown not make the list, but he didn’t receive a single vote amongst the 22 receivers mentioned in the ESPN piece.

Of course, these rankings are just the opinions of 50 people. Others may think both Cooper and Lamb deserved to be in the top 10. It definitely didn’t seem like age played any kind of factor either (which is a worry some have about Lamb) considering Jefferson was so high on this list and 30-year-old Hopkins was as well.

Although Cooper has recently told reporters that he doesn’t think he’s played his best football yet, it seems that the voters aren’t sold on the fact that he can have a bounce-back year in Cleveland. On the other hand, people are expecting big numbers from Lamb given the number of extra targets he will receive in Cooper, Wilson, and Gallup’s absences.

That stat and production increase didn’t seem to be enough to get him top 10 votes, but here’s what Jeremy Fowler and an AFC scout had to say about the Oklahoma product:

"Some evaluators think Lamb is on the cusp of the top 10 after 79 catches, 1,102 yards and six touchdowns in Year 2. With Amari Cooper now in Cleveland and Michael Galluprecovering from a torn ACL, Lamb will be the focal point for Dallas’ offense. “He’s so talented that the game comes very easily for him,” an AFC scout said. “He’ll be going through the motions and then suddenly he’s breaking off two guys for a touchdown.”"

Did the voters make a mistake? How do you feel about the top 10?

Next. Breaking Down 3 Cowboys' Hot Takes for 2022. dark