The Dallas Cowboys were fortunate that 16 NFL teams decided to go another direction, allowing CeeDee Lamb to fall to number 17. The Cowboys were more than happy to make him their selection. In a season that’s been up and down for the Cowboys, to say the least, they’ve been rewarded with stellar play from their rookie wide receiver.
CeeDee Lamb is just 177 receiving yards shy of Bullett Bob Hayes’ Cowboys rookie receiving record of 1,003 yards to put his season into context. Hayes put up that number back in 1965, and it has stood now 55 seasons.
Clearly, CeeDee Lamb is heading for a bright future in the NFL. Sunday against the 49ers was further evidence of that. He caught five passes for 85 yards, including a big catch and run that set up a Cowboys touchdown. It was the ninth time this season that Lamb had caught five or more passes, and it was his third-highest receiving total of the season.
CeeDee Lamb will have more games to accomplish the feat in an era that is more pass-happy than Bullett Bob played in during the 1960s. Hayes also accomplished that feat in just 13 games and on just 46 receptions. However, it shouldn’t diminish the season that Lamb has had.
Making the transition to the NFL is a difficult one, but especially at the wide receiver position. Lamb’s transition was made all the more difficult when Dak Prescott went down, and he’s had to play with four quarterbacks this season while competing for targets with Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Dalton Schultz, Ezekiel Elliott, and Tony Pollard.
Lamb will need to average 88.5 yards per game over the final two contests, which is certainly possible, though unlikely as well. He’s averaging just 57 yards per game this season, and the Cowboys haven’t necessarily been slinging it around like they were through the first five games of 2020.
Even if he’s unable to break the record in his rookie year, he’s still been a bright spot amidst all of the injuries and regression throughout the team. The future is bright, and when Dak Prescott returns to the lineup again in 2021, CeeDee Lamb should take off.
