Cowboys over/under: 1,500 receiving yards for CeeDee Lamb

In 2022, CeeDee Lamb announced himself to the league. The talent has always been there, and his superstar potential had been bubbling at the surface since entering the league, but the talk of ‘what could be’ was put to bed as Lamb solidified himself as one of the best young wide receivers in the league. He will soon get paid as such, maybe even before the new season even kicks off.

Last season Lamb fell just outside of the top five across the league when it came to receiving yards, finishing with 1,359 yards on the year. For 2023, it feels as if the bar has been set for Lamb, and with the addition of Brandin Cooks opposite of him to draw attention from defenders, plus a new passing game philosophy under head coach Mike McCarthy, the production looks to have a real chance to increase in year four.

Three wide receivers finished with 1,500 or more receiving yards last season and if Lamb wants to sit firmly in that echelon of players, it feels as if that may be the number to shoot for in 2023.

Lamb has seen his production increase every year of his career so far. He has eclipsed over 1,000 receiving yards in two of his first three seasons while barely missing the mark in his rookie year by a measly 65 yards. In addition to his own growth, one wonders how much better his numbers could’ve truly been if Dak Prescott hadn’t missed 17 games throughout Lamb’s career. Simply put, whether it is Cooper Rush or Prescott, Lamb has produced and there is no reason to think that will stop in 2023.

The factors that could hurt CeeDee Lamb’s production are things that may actually help the team in the long run. The addition of Cooks to the receiver group adds another mouth to feed, while Michael Gallup looks to be completely healthy and back to his old self that should result in targets as well. The loss of Dalton Schultz and Noah Brown in free agency will free up 164 targets from the year prior, and while the aforementioned players will cut into that total, that is more opportunities that Lamb could be the beneficiary of in 2023. Of course, some of the other tight ends might eat into that.

Ultimately touchdowns and wins are what matters most to the Dallas Cowboys, and if CeeDee Lamb does not reach this benchmark and the team still wins, there won’t be a single complaint. However, based on history and what we have seen from CeeDee Lamb and how bright his future is, this might be a low number for star wide receiver when it’s all said and done.