The Dallas Cowboys are going to have trouble fielding a competitive defense in Week 6 when they take on the Detroit Lions. The Cowboys are going to be missing several key members of that unit, starting with superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons and All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland. Also missing will be starting middle linebacker Eric Kendricks, Pro Bowl edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence and his two backups, Sam Williams and rookie Marshawn Kneeland.
So while corralling Jared Goff and the Ben Johnson offense will be left to Trevon Diggs and a bunch of guys, the Dallas offense will need to find a way to keep pace. That starts with the connection between quarterback Dak Prescott and wideout CeeDee Lamb. The two must establish a dominant nature and then continue to exploit an average Detroit secondary throughout the contest.
So what does that mean for fantasy lineups?
Pro Football Focus says that this is an average matchup for Lamb, rating it a 55.2 out of 100, but also naming him the No. 1 wideout play for the week.
Yahoo! Sports ranks him the No. 1 wideout in full-point PPR leagues as well and their FantasyPros projects 6.5 catches, 85.3 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.
CBS Sports rates Lamb as a 9.8 out of 10 on their Must Start RTG factor.
What does history say about his performance from various perspectives?
Last season Lamb caught 12 of 13 targets for 227 receiving yards and a score. The year prior he had four receptions for 70 yards. So his small-sample size average against Detroit projects the following stat line:
8 receptions, 148 yards, 0.5 touchdowns
In two home games this season, Lamb has the following averages:
4 receptions, 78 yards, 0.5 touchdowns
In four previous Week 6 games over his career, Lamb has the following averages:
7 receptions, 99.5 yards, 0.5 touchdowns
Our projection based on these numbers is as follows:
6 receptions, 109 yards, 0.5 touchdowns, or 19.9 points in full-point PPR leagues.