The Cowboys are entering a new era at the wide receiver position. With Amari Cooper now in Cleveland, third-year stud CeeDee Lamb is now the head honcho in the building, and expectations are plentiful.

Lamb has averaged just over 1,000 yards a season so far in his career. 2022 will be different, however, per Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr.

He sees a significant uptick in those numbers. So much so, that he predicts the Cowboys' former first-round pick will be top-three in the NFL in receiving yards this upcoming season.

"While I hate the limitations of total yards as a metric, I envision Lamb taking an aggressive step forward in Dallas this year. It would be hard to imagine anyone dethroning Cooper Kupp given how broadly he lapped the field last year, but Lamb nestles into the chase pack and establishes himself as bona fide elite."

With Cooper off the Cowboys' roster, Lamb will now get a lot of those targets which will assist in his numbers going upward. This will especially be true early on in the season with Michael Gallup likely to miss the first month. However, that means Lamb has to deal with teams game-planning for him as the new No. 1 option so double teams will surely follow.

That's where the rest of the Cowboys' receiving corp comes into play. Rookie Jalen Tolbert and free-agent addition James Washington will need to step up for the Cowboys, and Gallup when he returns. If successful, opposing defenses won't be able to double Lamb as much, meaning some one-on-one opportunities should be available.

Dak Prescott will need Lamb more than ever now to keep the Cowboys' passing offense near the top of the NFL. After garnering his first Pro Bowl nod in 2021, Lamb is ready to elevate his game and be Prescott's most trusted weapon in the passing game.

“I’ve been ready,” Lamb said. “That’s just me and my competitiveness. That’s in my nature. It’s kind of how we grew up playing football. I’m always ready for my name to be called.

“It’s a dream that I’ve always wanted to live and now that I’m actually living it, I feel like it’s my opportunity to fulfill it. So I’m looking at it as an opportunity.”

Lamb's third season with the Cowboys will be his most challenging yet. There are things he can get better at like his route running and he certainly needs to clean up his drops (had eight last season). However, Lamb is a dynamic playmaker with the chance to put his name with the NFL's elite pass catchers with a big year in 2022.

There's no shortage of talent when it comes to Lamb. He's a threat from multiple areas and should have his best season with more opportunities as the top receiving option for the Cowboys. Lamb finishing top three in yards may be considered a stretch, but it will be fun watching him try.

Feature image via Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports