Michael Gallup was expected to be one of the top-three wide receivers for the Cowboys last season after a solid 2020 campaign with 59 receptions for 807 yards and five touchdowns. However, it was not meant to be, as he missed eight games due to a left calf strain and left ACL injury. Heading into 2022, his ranking and ADP are up in the air, and fantasy football owners are undoubtedly wondering where Gallup should be drafted.
With Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson gone, Gallup has a chance for a real breakout season -- if healthy. Below, we'll take a look at Gallup's fantasy outlook and where he stands in ADP.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet
Michael Gallup Injury Update: How long will Cowboys' WR be out?
UPDATE (8/26): Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated earlier this week that Gallup won't start the regular season on the PUP list, according to Gehlken.
UPDATE (9/3): Gallup's recovery is reportedly going "very smooth" and that he "looks excellent," according to coach Mike McCarthy. He should be back no later than Week 3, barring a setback.
Gallup said in July that it's not a reasonable possibility that plays in Week 1 of the regular season, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. The 26-year-old wide receiver was unsurprisingly placed on the active/PUP list last month to open camp, and while he seems unlikely to be ready for Week 1, he should return sometime in September. Head coach Mike McCarthy said that Gallup looks really good and hasn't missed a target yet, per Gehlken. Draft Sharks' exclusive Injury Predictor tool lists Gallup as a "medium-risk" player in terms of injury heading into this season.
When the veteran wide receiver does return to the field, he'll either be the Cowboys' No. 2 or 3 wide receiver, depending on how rookie Jalen Tolbert plays. Gallup plays in a pass-heavy offense, which will afford him numerous opportunities to be a factor in fantasy football this season as a WR3 or flex with the upside for more.
2022 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Top 200 | Superflex
Michael Gallup fantasy ranking and ADP
Heading into the 2022 season, SN Fantasy has Gallup ranked 41st in standard formats and 42nd in PPR formats. When healthy, Gallup is a big-play threat and has the capability to have multiple 100-yard games and receive seven-plus targets per contest.
In 2020, Gallup only had two 100-yard receiving performances but had 13 games with five or more targets. He also produced three games with 10 or more fantasy points in standard leagues. If you had him in a standard league, Gallup's production that season was solely touchdown-dependent. However, he made some noise in PPR leagues -- posting seven games with double-digit fantasy points.
FantasyPros has Gallup's ADP at No. 145 overall and WR59. The other receivers projected around Gallup are Tolbert (WR58), DeVante Parker (WR60), and Jahan Dotson (WR60). All of these receivers will likely go in the later rounds of the fantasy drafts and will be utilized in the flex spot. Gallup has more upside once he's on the field.
2022 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Top 200 | Superflex
Michael Gallup's fantasy outlook 2022
If Gallup can return within the first month of the regular season, he'll be targeted early and often by Dak Prescott. As of right now, the Cowboys' top two receivers are CeeDee Lamb and TE Dalton Schultz, with Tolbert likely commanding a decent target share, too.
Gallup has averaged 48.3 receptions for 725.5 yards and 3.8 touchdowns per game over his first four seasons. The Cowboys have to fill the void left by Cooper and Wilson, who combined for 165 targets last season. Gallup could easily take a third of those targets, which would put him at 117 targets if you add those to last year's stats (62 targets).
2022 FANTASY SLEEPERS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | One from each team
Last season, Gallup played in just nine games, but he still managed to have eight games with five or more targets. If you are playing in a PPR or half-point PPR league, the former Colorado State wideout should see an increase in his previous value, as we only expect his target share to increase with no Cooper or Wilson.
2022 RANKINGS TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs
With all that being said, if Gallup can return by Week 3, he'll have plenty of time to be productive, which means he'll likely outproduce his ADP of 145. In our standard WR rankings, Gallup is surrounded by Julio Jones and Christian Kirk. Jones and Kirk could have big seasons, especially with them being in new offenses. However, Gallup could be a good bet to be one of the top values among receivers drafted as a WR3. He can stretch the field and can be productive if he can clean up on his drops.
