CeeDee Lamb is expected to miss multiple weeks due to a high ankle sprain, which he suffered in a loss to the Chicago Bears. His absence will have fantasy football implications both for the Cowboys and for the wide receiver position overall.
Lamb, one of the top fantasy receivers, joins a long list of wideouts who have gotten hurt or are suspended. Among those who have been injured in addition to Lamb are Mike Evans, Terry McLaurin, Xavier Worthy, Jauan Jennings, and Jayden Reed. Fantasy managers have also been without Chris Godwin and Brandon Aiyuk in 2025.
Rashee Rice and Jordan Addison have both missed the first three weeks due to suspension (Addison can return this week), and many other receivers have been complete duds.
Justin Jefferson is the WR25 after three weeks, while others like DK Metcalf, Devonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Ladd McConkey, DJ Moore, Marvin Harrison Jr., Drake London and Brian Thomas Jr. are all ranked outside of the top 30. The latter five aren’t even in the top 40! McLaurin, Jerry Jeudy, Tee Higgins, Calvin Ridley and Travis Hunter are outside the top 50!
Clearly, the absence of Lamb further decreased the already declining number of reliable wide receivers for fantasy managers to lean on. While it does make George Pickens a bit more attractive, he can’t replace Lamb’s stats and isn’t a must-start player. Heck, he’s a risk this week against Green Bay’s tough pass defense.
Lamb’s absence also makes Dak Prescott almost unstartable in fantasy leagues moving forward. Even if the matchup is good, losing his top option in the passing game will be detrimental for the field general. The lone winner in this Big D mess is Jake Ferguson, who will see a ton of targets from Prescott (he already has 32 on the season). Managers might also put in a claim for KaVontae Turpin, but don't expect him to produce high-end totals.
Keep your fingers crossed we don’t see more wideout injuries this week!
This article was originally published on www.si.com as CeeDee Lamb's Absence Has Wide-Ranging Fantasy Football Implications.