Last season, it felt like the Dallas Cowboys almost had too many options for quarterback Dak Prescott, and the result was a team throwing for nearly 5,000 yards with only one player surpassing the 900-yard mark — that being wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with 1,102. A busy offseason has thinned the ranks, however, with Amari Cooper (68-865-8) being traded to the Cleveland Browns, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (45-602-6) signing with the Miami Dolphins.
While their second- and third-most productive wideouts are gone, fourth-leading receiver Michael Gallup (knee) is coming off a torn ACL suffered on Jan. 2 of this year — he didn’t undergo surgery until February. Despite the injury, the Cowboys shelled out north of $60 million on a five-year deal, so they don’t seem to have any long-term concerns about Gallup’s ability to bounce back.
That being said, Gallup begins training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, and the expectation is that he’ll miss at least a couple of games to start the season. The Cowboys could also choose to be even more cautious with Gallup and keep him on the PUP to open the season. In years past, any player starting the year on the PUP had to miss at least six games, but a rule change allows players to return after only four, which makes it more attractive for situations like Gallup’s. He also could go on the short-term IR list for three games, but that counts against the allotment of eight uses a team is permitted.
Whenever the Cowboys deem Gallup ready to return, he should immediately slide into the No. 2 receiver spot opposite Lamb. Granted, the team did sign James Washington from the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency and drafted Jalen Tolbert in the third round, but the former was mostly mediocre during his time in the Steel City while the latter is jumping from tiny South Alabama, so it could take a while for Tolbert to make that transition.
Prior to last season, Gallup was generally healthy, missing just two games combined over his first three years, and even though his production has dropped the past two seasons, he proved in 2019 that he could be a dangerous weapon, catching 66 passes for 1,107 yards and a half-dozen touchdowns — that accounted for a career-best 16.8 yards per reception. With Lamb and tight end Dalton Schultz (78-808-8) the only proven targets for Prescott, Gallup could be in for heavy utilization once he returns.
Fantasy football outlook
Despite sustaining the knee injury, Gallup doesn’t seem to be in danger of missing a lot of time; pencil him to be out of action for the first three or four weeks. He’ll step into a good situation upon his return, and the fact that he’s coming off an injury-filled, disappointing campaign could push him down draft boards. As your fourth or fifth wideout, Gallup is an intriguing choice.
