CeeDee Lamb is on the cusp of making more Cowboys history
By Luke Norris
A year ago, CeeDee Lamb set all sorts of Dallas Cowboys single-season receiving records, setting new franchise marks for receptions (135), total receiving yards (1,749), and receiving yards per game (102.9).
And while the three-time Pro Bowler certainly won't end this 2024 campaign with those same kinds of totals, he's having a far better season than for which he's getting credit, sitting in a tie for second in receptions (79) and a tie for fifth in total receiving yards (880).
Truth be told, that's pretty darn good, seeing how he's been catching passes from an average-looking Dak Prescott and backup Cooper Rush this year. Throw in the fact that he's been facing double- and triple-teams, given the franchise's overall woes at receiver, and it looks even better.
But given all the issues America's Team has faced this year, the solid campaign being had by No. 88 is easy to overlook.
What's not as easy to overlook is how quickly Lamb has vaulted up the Cowboys' all-time receiving leaderboards, especially given all the phenomenal pass-catchers this franchise has had over the years, whether wide receivers, tight ends, and even several running backs.
In this just his fifth NFL season, Lamb already ranks seventh in Dallas history in receptions (474), seventh in receiving yards (6,025), and 10th in receiving touchdowns (36). And he's in prime position to bump himself up on two of these leaderboards as early as this Monday.
CeeDee Lamb is a dozen catches from joining the Cowboys' all-time top five in receptions
As just mentioned, Lamb currently ranks seventh in Cowboys history in receptions with 474. But he's not far off from the top five at all.
If he can catch six passes against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, he'll move into solo sixth, surpassing two-time Pro Bowler Tony Hill, who racked up 479 receptions in his 10-year run in Dallas.
And if Lamb can record 13 receptions, he'll move into solo fifth, moving past the great Emmitt Smith, who caught 486 passes in his 13 seasons with the Cowboys. That may seem like a tall order, but let's not forget that Lamb racked up 13 catches for 146 yards back in Week 8 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Currently sitting in 10th in receiving touchdowns, Lamb needs just three to move into ninth place, which would put him ahead of none other than Terrell Owens, who played just three years with a star on the side of his helmet but still found the end zone 38 times.
This will be a much tougher task to complete, as Lamb has only scored four touchdowns this season. But given some of the shootouts the Bengals have been in this year, you just never know.
As for yardage, Lamb is going to be stuck in seventh until next season, as he needs 1,271 yards to supplant "Bullet" Bob Hayes, who sits in the No. 6 position with 7,295.