Bottom Line

After an ugly 2022 and the addition of Brandin Cooks, Gallup won’t cost much in summer drafts.

The good news? He’s likely to stick around as the No. 3 target for QB Dak Prescott. And an injury to either Cooks or CeeDee Lamb could make Gallup – now 100% following a January, 2022 ACL tear – a weekly fantasy option.

Short of that scenario, Gallup is more of a draft-and-stash in lineup-setting leagues. He holds plenty of upside for best ball rosters.

What We Learned Last Year

• Gallup tore his left ACL on January 2, 2022. He missed the first three games of last season.
• When on the field, Gallup clearly didn’t showcase pre-injury form.
  • Among 80 WRs with 50+ targets, Gallup ranked 77th in Pro Football Focus receiving grade, 58th in yards per catch, and 77th in yards per route run.
• Gallup averaged only 5.3 targets, 30.3 yards, and 0.29 TDs per game.
• The Cowboys offense wasn't exactly pass-happy.
  • They sat 19th in pass attempts; 22nd in pass rate (-6% vs. expected).
  • Note: Dak Prescott missed Week 2 through Week 6 with a fractured thumb.
• Gallup finished as a top-36 PPR WR only three times.

What to Expect in 2023

• In February, Gallup underwent an arthroscopic procedure to his right knee and right ankle.
• Gallup was fine to participate in OTAs. In fact, Gallup has generated plenty of hype this offseason.
  • Said Dak Prescott: “[He’s] starting to come back into who Michael Gallup is and feel himself. That’s a guy that I’ve got a lot of trust in. He’s getting his feet under him, and he’s going to be better.”
  • Here’s how Gallup assessed his health and performance now vs. 2022: "I was thinking too much. My knee was feeling sore, and it was just different. Last year at this time, I couldn’t walk. It’s different now. I feel springy again. It just feels different.”
  • HC Mike McCarthy talked up a bigger role and a more diverse route tree.
• McCarthy will call plays following OC Kellen Moore’s move to L.A.
  • Brian Schottenheimer earned the promotion to OC. He’s talked about keeping a “fast” approach on offense while not making any drastic changes overall.
• Dallas added 30-year-old WR Brandin Cooks in a trade.
  • Cooks isn’t the No. 1 WR we saw earlier in his career, but he’s a solid No. 2 and should help stretch the field. He does project as the 2nd option ahead of Gallup.
• Dallas let TE Dalton Schultz walk in free agency and doesn’t have a proven replacement on the roster.
  • Schultz’s absence leaves 89 targets available from last year’s offense.