The 2024 season kicked off with Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones declaring that Dallas would be “all in” in an effort to win a Super Bowl. Most would agree that Jones failed to live up to this proclamation and did not put the team in the best position to win games.
Either way, it’s quite clear that the team has not met expectations this season. Heading into Week 17, they hold a 7-8 record and have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Some of the Cowboys’ struggles can be pinned on injury woes. Dallas has dealt with issues on the defensive side of the ball throughout the year, and quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) hasn’t played since Week 9.
All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb has also been dealing with a nagging shoulder issue. The team recently opted to shut him down for the remainder of the season as a result of the injury.
MORE NFL WEEK 17:
Why are the Cowboys shutting down CeeDee Lamb?
Lamb suffered an A/C joint sprain after coming down hard on his shoulder in Week 9 against the Falcons. He was not forced to miss any full games with the injury, but he’s been briefly sidelined in multiple games after aggravating the issue. Lamb has also been a mainstay on the injury report in the weeks since hurting his shoulder.
Lamb came down hard again on his shoulder in Week 16 against the Buccaneers. As a result, he ran just four routes in the second half. Following this most recent reinjury, the team has decided that it’s best for Lamb to sit out for the remainder of the season.
The #Cowboys are shutting down CeeDee Lamb for the final two games. From the team:
“Additional examinations and scans this week on CeeDee Lamb’s shoulder have determined that his injury has now progressed to a point that he will be listed as “Out” for the remaining two games of…
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 26, 2024
With nothing to play for in the final two weeks of the year and Lamb’s health continuing to decline, it doesn’t come as a shock to see Lamb shut down. Dallas just signed Lamb to a $136 million contract, and they don’t want to see this injury progress to the point where it requires surgery.
This is simply a case of the Cowboys playing it safe and not wanting to risk further injury to their best offensive player in meaningless games.
WEEK 17 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers
CeeDee Lamb stats 2024
Coming off a career year last season, it was going to be difficult for Lamb to recreate what he did in 2023. Despite the shoulder injury, Lamb put together another strong season and is among the league leaders in most statistical categories.
| CeeDee Lamb Stats 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistic | No. | Rank Among WRs |
| Receptions | 101 | t-2nd |
| Targets | 145 | 2nd |
| Receiving Yards | 1,194 | 3rd |
| Receiving Touchdowns | 6 | t-17th |
Lamb is bound to slip down the ranks as the weeks move on, but this was a very impressive season nonetheless. It should also be noted that seven of his games came with backup QB Cooper Rush at the helm. Even in a down year for the Cowboys, Lamb proved he’s still among the most talented receivers in the NFL.
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Cowboys WR depth chart
| Cowboys WR Depth Chart | |
|---|---|
| Receiver | Name |
| 1 | CeeDee Lamb* |
| 2 | Brandin Cooks |
| 3 | Jalen Tolbert |
| 4 | Kavonte Turpin |
| 5 | Ryan Flournoy |
| 6 | Jonathan Mingo |
* — will miss the remainder of the season
Without Lamb, the Cowboys will rely on a mix of veterans and young talent for the rest of the year. Brandin Cooks will front the receiving corps in these final weeks and will likely be one of Cooper Rush’s primary targets.
Behind Cooks, a handful of young receivers will get a chance to prove their worth. This group is made up of Jalen Tolbert, Kavonte Turpin, Ryan Flournoy, and Jonathan Mingo, all of whom have spent three or fewer years in the NFL.
Cowboys remaining schedule
| Week | Opponent |
| 17 | at Eagles |
| 18 | vs. Commanders |
Dallas will close out the season with two divisional matchups in the Eagles and Commanders. The Cowboys may not be competing for the playoffs, but playing spoiler for a divisional foe is enough to get fired up for these games.
Head coach Mike McCarthy is also likely coaching for his job to some degree in these games. If Dallas can claw their way to a winning record, the rumor mill will certainly calm down in regards to the head coaching job in Dallas.
