The Dallas Cowboys kept their very, very slim playoff hopes alive with an upset win over the Washington Commanders last week. If they want any chance of continuing their winning ways, they will need elite WR1 CeeDee Lamb on the field.
Historically healthy, Lamb has been playing through a couple of injuries this season. Will he continue to do so when the Cowboys host the New York Giants on Thanksgiving?
What Is CeeDee Lamb’s Injury?
Over the course of his career, Lamb hadn’t made too many appearances on the injury report. That is, until the past month or so.
Over the past few weeks, Lamb has been limited at practice due at first to a shoulder injury, then a back injury. Lamb appears to be completely over his sprained AC joint in his shoulder, but is now dealing with a foot issue in addition to the lingering back issue.
Lamb does appear more banged up than actually hurt. In fact, he used that exact term himself. But it’s still less than ideal for him to be playing through so many injuries.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb: “I’m banged up, I’m not even going to lie to you. … I’m willing to do whatever, to go out there and do whatever to have my presence felt. … I’m all for the team winning, as you can tell.
“This is definitely one of the toughest years for me, body-wise.… pic.twitter.com/L0T0Qs3mwY
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 26, 2024
Will CeeDee Lamb Play in Week 13?
It’s abundantly clear Lamb is playing at less than 100%. Most NFL players would say the same things about themselves this deep into the season.
With that said, it’s also clear Lamb has no intentions of missing any games. Even if the Cowboys are out of the playoff hunt, Lamb doesn’t come across as the type of player to shut it down. He wants to play, and I expect him to continue doing so as long as his body lets him.
While Lamb is definitely not as healthy as he’d like to be, he’s not hurt to the point where it will prevent him from playing. The Cowboys did not give Lamb a final injury designation, and he will play today.
Fantasy Implications of Lamb’s Week 13 Status
Lamb’s first game without Dak Prescott was a disaster. Cooper Rush and Trey Lance combined for an impossibly low 66 passing yards. Unsurprisingly, there weren’t many to go around for Lamb.
Since then, Lamb’s production has gotten closer to where it is with Prescott. He’s caught 18 passes over his last two games for a total of 160 yards, and Rush has looked far more competent than he did in that first start.
Lamb remains a true alpha, although his fantasy value is obviously lower now than it was with Prescott. That elite game-breaking ceiling no longer exists, but he’s shown over the past two weeks — back-to-back WR1-caliber performances — that his talent is still capable of winning out.
What helps immensely is the Cowboys understand Lamb needs the ball. Unlike some NFL teams, Dallas does go out of its way to funnel touches to its best offensive player. Lamb has seen double-digit targets in six consecutive games, and he also usually gets at least one carry.
It’s worth noting that the Cowboys activated Brandin Cooks from injured reserve on Wednesday. Cooks will make his return after a two-month absence, but it won’t negatively impact Lamb in any way. If anything, his presence can only help as the defense has another competent receiver to account for.
Fantasy managers can start Lamb with confidence, as usual.