As always, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys are giving the media and fans something to talk about. It started early in the offseason with Jones declaring that the motto for the 2024 season would be, "All-in." Jones seemingly has failed to live up to this motto, failing to make a splashy free agent signing, lacking aggression in the NFL draft, and not tending to the contracts of players currently on the roster.
In recent weeks, Jones' lack of commitment to star players in the form of large contracts has been plastered all over headlines. None has been more prominent than CeeDee Lamb, who has not been with the team all offseason while he holds out in hopes of receiving a new contract.
There has seemingly been little progress towards getting Lamb back in the facility in recent days. But with fantasy drafts right around the corner for many leagues, managers may need to make a decision on how to approach Lamb in drafts before this contract situation is fully resolved.
Let's review Lamb's fantasy outlook and discuss where he should be selected in upcoming drafts amid this contract dispute.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
CeeDee Lamb Fantasy Football Outlook 2024: New contract lifts draft value?
CeeDee Lamb Contract Update
After an offseason highlighted by a holdout and cryptic social media posts, CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys have reached an agreement that will make him the second-highest paid non-QB in NFL history. The four-year, $136 million contract will keep Lamb in Dallas for the foreseeable future.
Lamb should make his first appearance at Cowboys practice relatively soon and will suit up for Week 1 against the Browns. Those who have a top-3 pick in fantasy can finally take a sigh of relief and take Lamb without any concerns.
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
CeeDee Lamb fantasy outlook 2024
It was a tale of two halves for Lamb in 2023. Despite a scalding hot start from the Cowboys' offense, Lamb underperformed and seemed destined for a pedestrian finish in fantasy. Through six weeks, Lamb was averaging 14.9 PPR which ranked 19th among receivers during this time frame.
Following the Cowboys' Week 7 bye, Lamb flipped a switch. Lamb averaged a ludicrous 28.5 PPG over an 11-game stretch to close out the regular season. This was head and shoulders above the WR2 in this span, Tyreek Hill, who averaged 22.1 PPG.
Following what may have been the best 11-game stretch in the history of fantasy football, Lamb ultimately led the league in targets, ranked 2nd in receiving yards, 1st in YAC, and 5th in yards per route run. Lamb was on the precipice of the elite WR tier before last season; he firmly entrenched himself among the league's best following his 2023 campaign.
2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB | RB | WR | TE | Each Team
Lamb's success came in large part due to a massive philosophical shift in Dallas. Early in the year, the Cowboys ran a balanced offense and worked to feature Tony Pollard on the ground. After that fateful Week 7 bye, the Cowboys came out slinging the ball all over the field. They featured one of the most pass-heavy offenses in the league down the stretch.
Expect to see more of the same in Dallas this year. They "addressed" the running back position by signing Ezekiel Elliot. There were also no significant changes among the pass catchers, so Lamb will be the WR1 by a wide margin once again.
Lamb was 50 yards and one touchdown away from earning the receiving triple crown last year. Given the Cowboys' pass-heavy nature, Lamb's talent, and the lack of depth behind him, it wouldn't be shocking to see Lamb win the triple crown in 2024. That should tell you everything you need to know about his outlook for 2024.
The Verdict: Where should CeeDee Lamb be drafted?
Now that Lamb has resolved the situation regarding his contract, all there is to think about is how he will perform on the field. Given his production from last year, particularly late in the year, he is locked in as a top-3 pick.
With Christian McCaffrey as the consensus 1.01, it comes down to Lamb and Tyreek Hill as the candidates for the 2nd pick. Given the lack of talent behind Lamb, the Cowboys offense as a whole seems a bit more fragile than Miami's which is loaded across the board. For this reason, Lamb should go behind Hill. However, taking Lamb is not "wrong" by nay means.
2024 STANDARD, NON-PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | K