Some record performances are about statistics; others are about timing. On Sunday in Houston, CeeDee Lamb showcased why he’s a serious threat for offensive player of the year. He delivers when games are hanging in the balance. When Dak Prescott needed an answer, Lamb was there, and when the Cowboys needed a big play, the football found No. 88.
The Dallas Cowboys star receiver caught 17 passes for 189 yards and the game-winning touchdown in a dramatic victory over the Houston Texans. Lamb authored one of the greatest receiving performances in franchise history and further strengthened his case as not only the focal point of Dallas’ offense but one of the best offensive playmakers in the NFL.
What separates a star from a game-changer is how the latter alters the direction of a football game. The Cowboys don’t simply operate through Lamb; they depend on him. He’s a player who can flip field position and rescue a stalled drive on long down-and-distance plays.
Since 2021, three receivers have won the elusive AP Offensive Player Of The Year award, and they’ve all surpassed 1,700 receiving yards. Lamb is on pace for 157 receptions, 2,116 yards, and 17 touchdowns; what makes him a clear case to win the award is the high-powered offense that the Cowboys have, which is currently averaging 30.5 points per game. He’s on pace to shatter the single-season receiving record of 1,964 yards by Calvin Johnson in 2012.
OPOY has increasingly become a receiver’s award, particularly when a star pass catcher is threatening the record book. Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson and Jaxson Smith-Njigba have benefited from this trend in the past five years, while running backs are often held to a far higher standard, typically needing 2,000 rushing yards or scrimmage yards to enter the conversation.
Jahmyr Gibbs has been electric with 540 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns, but his 46-yard outing against Carolina highlighted the week-to-week volatility that comes with running backs. Detroit’s injury-plagued defense has also contributed to an uneven start.
While Kenneth Walker III is putting together a remarkable season, leading the NFL with 537 rushing yards and averaging an eye-popping 6.2 yards per carry, context matters in these award races. Playing in Kansas City often works against running backs in the court of public opinion. Voters tend to credit part of that production to the advantages that come with lining up alongside Patrick Mahomes in Andy Reid’s offense, even though it seems like the Chiefs are becoming a between-the-tackles, run-first team.
Bijan Robinson is emerging as a legitimate contender in the OPOY race. Since Michael Penix Jr. returned, Atlanta’s offense has exploded, and Robinson has been at the center of it, averaging 153.5 rushing yards and scoring five touchdowns over the last two weeks. The Falcons are unlikely to keep scoring 40 points per game, but if they ride this surge to an NFC South title, Robinson’s case will only strengthen.
The reigning OPOY, Smith-Njigba, opened the season on fire with 27 receptions, 405 yards and six touchdowns through three games before cooling off with a 5-catch, 76-yard performance against the Los Angeles Chargers. History is also against him, as only Earl Campbell and Marshall Faulk have won the award in consecutive seasons.
CeeDee Lamb Is Producing At A Historic Clip
Lamb entered Week 4 already among the NFL leaders in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Since Week 2, he has accumulated 31 receptions, 453 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. His performance against Houston carried historical significance. Lamb’s 17 receptions were the most by an NFL player since Keenan Allen recorded 18 in 2023.
Lamb’s achievement ranks second in Cowboys franchise history, trailing only Jason Witten’s 18-catch game. Lamb also recorded his 30th career 100-yard game, a milestone bested only by another Cowboy legend who wore No. 88, Michael Irvin. His 498 receiving yards are already the most by a Dallas receiver through the first four games of a season. Lamb currently ranks fourth all-time since being drafted in 2020 among the Cowboys’ all-time receiving yard leaders (7,914).
There’s no question that Lamb is the best playmaker on the Cowboys, but is he the best playmaker in the NFL? Can he continue producing at this level, and if he does, will he be the league’s offensive player of the year? All signs point to yes so far.
