Will the Refined Game of This Emerging Receiver Allow Him to Follow CeeDee Lamb’s Career Trajectory?

Kevin Szafraniec
February 25, 2026

Kevin Szafraniec breaks down the rookie season of a wide receiver who opened plenty of eyes in 2025, but improving upon his few shortcomings could make him an absolute fantasy star in 2026.

CeeDee Lamb came to Dallas with plenty of promise after being selected with the 17th overall pick in 2020. Lamb then came out and delivered on expectations as a rookie, finishing as the PPR WR22 despite operating as the Cowboys’ WR2 behind Amari Cooper.

That would be the last time Lamb would play second fiddle to any wide receiver in Dallas. Over the next three years, Lamb would climb the NFL’s WR hierarchy until he eventually claimed fantasy’s overall WR1 spot in 2023.

In 2025, the NFL was introduced to a rookie who showed the same kind of savvy that helped Lamb find success early in his career. As this young wideout heads into his second season, it feels like the sky is the limit, especially if he can clean up the shortcomings that were apparent in his game during his rookie year.

Be sure to check out the previous installments of the 2025 Rookie Review Series:

Volume 1 of the 2026 RotoViz Rookie Draft Guide is out now! Jam-packed with comprehensive player profiles, advanced stats, player comps, strategies, and rankings from the RotoViz staff, it is a must-have for every fantasy manager who wants to crush their best ball, dynasty, and redraft leagues in 2026!

Keep an eye out for Volume 2, scheduled to release following the NFL Combine, and Volume 3, which will drop after the 2026 NFL Draft!

A Debut for the Ages

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Kevin Szafraniec

Lead Writer and Full-time Cat Dad. Sneakerhead, Record Collector, Beatmaker, Lord of the Rings Superfan, and Jeopardy Enthusiast in my free time. Follow me on X and Bluesky @thecatdadff

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