Dallas Needs To Focus More on KaVontae Turpin Following Lamb Injury

With All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb sidelined for at least the next two weeks, the Dallas Cowboys are going to need every capable pass-catcher to help fill the gap. George Pickens has stepped up as the clear WR1, but another name is ready to rise—KaVontae Turpin.

KaVontae Turpin is a Rising Star

Turpin brings a rare burst of speed and agility that none of the other wideouts on the roster can match, and he deserves a bigger role in the offense. Unfortunately, he’s dealing with a foot injury that could keep him out of Week 5, but that shouldn’t change the bigger picture—when healthy, he needs to be more involved.

Through the first four games, KaVontae Turpin has just 13 targets. He’s caught 11 of them for 159 yards and a touchdown. That kind of production on limited opportunities shows how underutilized he’s been.

Cowboys fans already know what KaVontae Turpin can do on special teams. His highlight-reel returns have made him a fan favorite, but now it’s time for that explosiveness to show up more in the passing game—especially while Lamb is recovering from a high ankle sprain. His world-class speed is a weapon, and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams should be scheming ways to get him in space.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer and Adams should be dialing up deep routes for Turpin on every drive, even if Dak Prescott doesn’t always target him. Just the threat of his speed forces defenses to respect the deep ball, which keeps safeties honest and prevents defenses from crowding the box. The tape even shows Turpin breaking free deep several times, only for Prescott to miss him.

Targeting Turpin Opens Up the Field for Others

Taking more deep shots to Turpin would also help open up the field for Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, and tight end Jake Ferguson—especially against zone-heavy defenses. At just 5’9″ and 153 pounds, Turpin might be the smallest guy on the field, but that actually works in his favor on jet sweeps and screen plays, where he can disappear behind the linemen before bursting through a seam.

The Cowboys should also be running more quick screens—essentially long handoffs—to get Turpin the ball in space. His 4.3 speed forces defenses to stretch sideline to sideline, creating more room for running back Javonte Williams to operate.

You can’t coach Turpin’s kind of speed. Few players in the league can flip the field as quickly as he can. Whether CeeDee Lamb is in the lineup or not, Turpin should be getting at least 8 to 10 touches per game. Every time he’s on the field, the defense has to account for the possibility of him taking one to the house—and that’s exactly the kind of spark this Cowboys offense needs.

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