Has CeeDee Lamb lived up to Cowboys WR1 expectations so far?

Winning sure cures a lot, as does catching the go-ahead touchdown pass. That’s definitely the case for CeeDee Lamb who made a sensational one-handed grab to put the Dallas Cowboys on top of the New York Giants for good on Monday Night Football.

Statistically, it was a strong night for Lamb, who had 87 yards on eight receptions and the huge touchdown catch. However, it should have been a much better performance for him as he left one major play on the table.

In the first half, Lamb was running free for what would have likely been a touchdown, and Cooper Rush dropped the ball right into his hands. Despite not having to break stride, Lamb dropped what would have been a massive gain. It also might have been the play that kept this game from being so tightly contested until his play in the fourth quarter.

That wasn’t his only drop on the night either, as he let one slip through his grasp just a couple of plays later, which would have been a short gain, but it still wasn’t ideal to see him struggling to haul it in.

For Lamb, this has been the case through three games. He was a non-factor in Week 1, played second-fiddle to Noah Brown in Week 2, and then was Jekyll and Hyde in Week 3.

Is CeeDee Lamb living up to the Cowboys’ expectations of him?

These issues beg the question of how Lamb is doing in his role as the No. 1 wideout for the Cowboys. Ahead of the season, many expected him to lead the league in receiving yards because he’d be getting snaps that would’ve gone to Amari Cooper or Michael Gallup. He currently ranks 27th in receiving yards.

While he definitely needs to be more consistent, he’s been trustworthy in the clutch, including on an overlooked fourth-down reception that kept the winning touchdown drive alive.

In terms of just numbers, there’s still room for growth even with the clutch performance. After three games, Lamb has 17 receptions for 191 yards and one touchdown. That puts him on pace for 96 receptions for 1,082 yards, for roughly six touchdowns over 17 games.

Those numbers would be good but are far from elite. After sending Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns for a bag of chips, the Cowboys need his numbers to be in the elite category.

That’s why they need to see him step it up in order to truly earn the title of a legit No. 1 wideout. Yes, he made the big play on Monday but many teams won’t be as forgiving as the Daniel Jones-led Giants when points are left on the table. He still needs to find a way to clean up the drops and solidify himself as a top target, especially as the Cowboys start to see some more formidable opponents on their schedule coming up.

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