Gallup has procedure on ankle, knee

Cowboys WR Michael Gallup underwhelmed this past year, posting 39-424-4 in 14 games. Recall that he was returning from a left ACL tear from Week 17 of 2021. Now, we have more information to help explain his difficult 2022. On Tuesday, the career-long Cowboy underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right ankle and right knee, per beat writer Michael Gehlken. He’s expected to be fine for team workouts in April. Gallup’s $11 million salary for 2023 is fully guaranteed, so he’ll return for a 6th season in Dallas. Still, it’s quite possible that the Cowboys add competition to the WR corps. Dallas picks 27th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Cowboys have given WR Michael Gallup permission to seek a trade, according to The Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins. Watkins adds that Gallup is unlikely to find much of a trade market because other teams expect Dallas to release him. That would save the Cowboys $9.5 million in 2024 cap space. Gallup has totaled just 842 yards on 11.5 yards per catch in 31 games since tearing an ACL late in the 2021 season. He ranked 77th out of 80 qualifying WRs in 2022 yards per route and then 70th out of 80 last year. We'll see where Gallup lands, but there's little reason to be optimistic for his 2024 fantasy value. His departure would leave opportunity in Dallas for WR Jalen Tolbert -- although we'd expect the Cowboys to add to the position in free agency and/or the draft.

Cowboys WR Michael Gallup is seeing extra snaps in the slot, per HC Mike McCarthy. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News says the “goal is for [Gallup] to develop into more of a moving piece.” Gallup ran only 8% of his routes from the slot last year and hit the same number in 2021. We're not expecting a major spike, but it's nice for Dallas to add more versatility to Gallup's role -- especially with Brandin Cooks in town. Gallup profiles as a fantasy WR5.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott gave his take on the health of WR Michael Gallup. “[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," Prescott said. "He’s getting his feet under him, and he’s going to be better.” Gallup tore his ACL in early January, 2022, and labored through last season. Dallas added Brandin Cooks over the offseason, but Gallup profiles as a low-risk flier at WR79 in ADP.

Cowboys WR Michael Gallup admits that he struggled last season returning from his January 2022 ACL tear. "I was thinking too much,” Gallup said. “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.” Gallup posted career lows last year in yards per game (30.3), yards per catch (10.9), and yards per route (1.0). We're buying a bounce back for the 27-year-old this season. But he still sits outside the top 50 in the WR Rankings after the Cowboys added WR Brandin Cooks earlier this offseason.

Cowboys WR Michael Gallup (illness) is active for tonight’s game vs. the Colts. He didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday but returned to a limited practice on Friday. We’re expecting Gallup to be ready to play his usual role tonight.