CeeDee Lamb left Sunday’s game after an awkward tackle produced significant trauma to his left ankle in the first quarter. Upon further inspection following Dallas’ 31-14 loss to the Bears, CeeDee Lamb was ruled out for several weeks.

Jesse Morse, an NFL injury expert, stated on X, “The fact remains that this could potentially sideline him for at least a week, up to six weeks. Now there are three grades of high ankle ligaments, and these are not easy ligaments to heal. Even a type or grade one causes a lot of issues with planting and then cutting or changing directions. So traditionally, even a mild grade one will have guys out a week or two, and then they’ll struggle for about a month.” 

The injury involved inward flexion and rotation, consistent with a syndesmotic (high ankle) sprain. These injuries hinder quick cuts by damaging tissue between the tibia and fibula.

“And maybe misses a week or two, or closer to a grade four, leading to four to six weeks,” Morse added.  

There is an extensive range in recovery times. Mild cases sideline players 1–2 weeks; partial tears need 4–6 weeks and may need injections. A complete ligament tear usually requires surgery and a long recovery. To ascertain the injury’s actual severity, the Cowboys will need to keep a careful eye on it.

With CeeDee Lamb out, league-leading Dallas loses its top target. Future analyses will show if Lamb’s setback turns out to be a short-term or long-term problem.

Injury concerns for Dallas ahead of Green Bay clash

The Cowboys enter their upcoming matchup against Green Bay dealing with a significant blow to their offensive core. CeeDee Lamb’s absence on game day forces Dallas to reconfigure its passing attack. “CeeDee is a guy that heals quickly, and he’ll do everything in his power to get back, but it does look like he’ll miss a little bit of time,” Schottenheimer said.

Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, “We’d love to have him back for Green Bay, but at the same time, we also have to understand the injury is what it is, and we’ll play it out.” 

George Pickens takes over as the main receiver, and Jalen Tolbert, who has shown signs of reliability, is probably going to get a bigger role. Increased targets would also help tight end Jake Ferguson, while KaVontae Turpin might offer more speed and adaptability during gadget plays or in the slot machine.

“It’s hard to replace a guy like CeeDee, but guys have to step up and do that,” Schottenheimer said.

The Cowboys need to adjust their game plan outside of the receiver group to compensate for Lamb’s diminished route running and yards-after-catch skills. The lost productivity might be partially compensated for by placing more of a focus on the run game and short passing concepts. For Dallas to keep up its offensive rhythm and remain competitive in a fiercely contested NFC race, the performance of these replacements will be crucial.