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CeeDee Lamb was labeled as a popular breakout candidate among consensus as he enters his third season in the NFL. With Amari Cooper no longer on the team, Lamb is now the clear WR1 in the Dallas offense and should get all the targets he can handle.
The 23-year-old opened the 2022 season with a dud for his fantasy managers as he caught just two passes for 29 yards. Nothing went right for the Dallas offense as they struggled all game long, and the night got even worse when Dak Prescott exited the game with a thumb injury.
So, what is Lamb's fantasy value with Prescott out for the foreseeable future?
Should Fantasy Football Managers Worry About CeeDee Lamb Without Dak Prescott?
Lamb figures to have a decline in value with Cooper Rush under center, but fantasy managers shouldn't worry too much about the value of their WR1.
In the 2021 season, Cooper Rush started against the Minnesota Vikings and threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns. Lamb caught six passes for 112 yards, with his longest reception going for 35 yards.
Cooper Rush is Cowboys starting QB for next 6-8 weeks.
In his only NFL start (2021 at MIN):
Rush: 325 yds, 2 TD, INT
Amari Cooper: 8 rec (13 tgt), 122 yds, TD
CeeDee Lamb: 6 rec (8 tgt), 112 ydsRush might be a *boon* for Lamb's fantasy value.
.@wfaa @ScottBarrettDFB #DFS #FF— Jonah Javad (@JonahJavad) September 12, 2022
Given that Lamb is clearly the most talented pass-catcher in Dallas, we should see him be able to offset any poor quarterback play with his projected high target volume.
Still, Rush could be a serviceable starting option for the Cowboys as long as Prescott is out, so anyone saying Lamb’s value is completely tanked could be overreacting at this point.
What is CeeDee Lamb’s Fantasy Football Value During Dak Prescott's Absence?
Fantasy managers can treat Lamb as more of a WR2 option in Prescott’s absence rather than the elite WR1 he figures to be with his star quarterback under center.
A large target volume can offset bad quarterback play, as we saw with Diontae Johnson last season.
Cooper Rush is obviously not great for Lamb’s outlook, but the volume should still be there.
So again, DON’T FADE CEEDEE LAMB.
— Jacob White (@FF_JacobWhite) September 12, 2022
Given Lamb’s skillset, just getting the ball in his hands is likely going to be a huge part of the Cowboys’ game plan moving forward, which should heighten his floor in PPR formats.
Should I Start CeeDee Lamb for Week 2 Fantasy Football?
Given the early-round draft capital spent on Lamb, most fantasy managers will not have an easy plug-and-play replacement option at wide receivers. It's probably still a bit early to panic and bench Lamb.
CeeDeeLamb is by no means a must-start every week if you have better options, but fantasy managers should be able to get production from him as a low-end WR2 option. It will be a wait-and-see approach for the Cowboys and Lamb's fantasy managers.
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