One of the most intriguing stories of the offseason for the Dallas Cowboys was just how good would their receiving trio of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb be in 2020. Cooper himself, when asked about the addition of Lamb, believed not only would they be good but they’d do something no team has done since the 2008 Arizona Cardinals, have three 1,000-yard receivers.
“I think it was a great pickup,” Cooper said, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. “You have to draft the best player on the board. Everybody understands that. He’s a great receiver. I think with me and Michael Gallup going for 1,000 yards last year, the expectation is to have three 1,000-yard receivers this year.”
Three weeks into the season, they’re off to a good start.
Amari Cooper
Cooper, despite battling nagging injuries, has been consistently productive for the Cowboys since being acquired via trade. After 725 yards and six touchdowns in nine games in 2018, he set career highs in yards (1,189), touchdowns (8), and yards per catch (15.1) in 2019.
He’s continued that high-level production so far in 2020. Cooper has 25 receptions on 35 targets (71.4%). More importantly, 19 of those receptions have come on the road after he had only 27 catches away from AT&T Stadium last season. His current average of 89 yards per game has him on pace for 1,424 yards which would shatter his best season from a year ago.
He signed a five-year, $100 million dollar deal in March and he’s showing that money was well spent.
Michael Gallup
Last season, Gallup made himself a household name by doubling his output from his rookie campaign. Even though he missed two games, he finished with 1,107 yards and led the team with 79.1 yards per game. This setup even higher expectations for him this season, and he’s showing that the odds are he’ll meet and exceed them.
After only catching five passes for 108 yards in the first two weeks, Gallup exploded vs the Seattle Seahawks. He caught six passes for 138 yards (led team) and his first touchdown of the year. Gallup is averaging an unreal 22.4 yards per catch and is currently on pace for 1,312 yards.
He may be the “second option” in the passing game for the Cowboys but he performs like a WR1.
CeeDee Lamb
When Lamb was taken 17th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, the buzz in the Dallas Metroplex reached epic levels. In training camp, Lamb continued to add to his own hype train by making spectacular plays. In fact, he was voted the best receiver by the staff writers of DallasCowboys.com during camp practices.
Just three games into his rookie campaign, Lamb is already showing why said hype was completely warranted. He’s caught 16 passes on 21 targets (76.1%) and is averaging 14.4 yards per catch. His 76.7 yards per game currently has him on pace for 1,227 yards as a rookie.
This may be his inaugural NFL season but Lamb is showing he can be a top option on any Sunday.
Cooper, Gallup, and Lamb have all had 100-yard performances this season and are on track to hit the 1,000-yard mark. With their ages ranging from 21 to 26, this is only the beginning of what this dynamic trio has in store.
