Fantasy football owners are used to seeing all sorts of abbreviations next to their respective players' names.
Typically, the abbreviations are easy to decode. "Q" is for questionable; "O" is for out; "IR" is for players on injured reserve.
But ahead of the 2024 season, a new one has become a bit more popular. That would be the "CEL" designation.
The "CEL" mark doesn't have anything to do with an injury. Rather, it's used to show which players are on a special list meant to give teams roster flexibility.
Here's what to know about the "CEL" abbreviation and how it could impact CeeDee Lamb in 2024.
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What does 'CEL' mean in fantasy football?
The "CEL" abbreviation designates a player who is on the Commissioner's Exempt List.
Not all fantasy football platforms use the "CEL" abbreviation. However, several notable ones — including Yahoo — have adopted it ahead of the 2024 season to better specify why certain players are out of action.
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What is the Commissioner's Exempt List in NFL?
The NFL's Player Personnel Manual defines the Commissioner's Exempt List as "a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances," per NFL.com. The designation prevents a player from counting against a team's active roster limit, which is set at 53 men to begin each season.
Varying reasons contribute to a player's placement on the Commissioner's Exempt List. It has been used with increasing regularity since 2014, when Adrian Peterson was placed on the list for a full season amid child abuse allegations.
Teams are not allowed to place a player on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Only the commissioner has the authority to do so.
The commissioner can decide whether a player's stay on the Commissioner's Exempt List is finite or indefinite. Once a player is removed from the list, he returns to his team's active roster.
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Is CeeDee Lamb on the Commissioner's Exempt List?
Yes, CeeDee Lamb is on the Commissioner's Exempt List as of Tuesday, Sept. 3. The Cowboys received a two-game roster exemption for Lamb upon his return from his summer-long holdout Aug. 27, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
While that has left some worried about his Week 1 status, Pelissero clarified Lamb could still play in Dallas' season opener and that he could be activated "anytime."
Of course, Roger Goodell will be responsible for the decision to remove Lamb from the list, not the Cowboys. Even so, it seems likely that Lamb will come off the exempt list ahead of Week 1, provided that he is in shape to play.
So, while some fantasy football owners will be worried about seeing the CEL next to his name, he isn't expected to be a long-term resident of the list.