In comparison to his 2019 campaign, Michael Gallup had a down year in the fantasy football world. Finishing with just 59 receptions, 843 receiving yards, and five touchdowns, one would think Gallup got lost in the mix. It was quite the letdown, considering how good Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb played this year.
However, it’s important to note that most of Gallup’s stats were comprised in the second half of the season. He only managed 48 targets in the first eight games, while receiving 57 looks in the back half. This bodes well for Gallup’s fantasy football outlook in 2021, as he’s built up a little momentum for next year.
With that said, there is reason to believe Gallup bounces back as a solid fantasy football option next year. There is a high possibility the Dallas Cowboys bring back Dak Prescott. If that’s the case, Gallup should be garnering plenty of looks his way. Here are a couple of reasons why Michael Gallup is a fantasy bounce-back candidate in 2021.
Dak Comes Back?
Assuming Dak actually does re-sign with the Cowboys, Gallup’s potential for next year rises. Prescott is still under-appreciated amongst some crowds, but he has the ability to spread the ball around. This would be the best-case scenario for Gallup in 2021, as Prescott has a knack to find him down the field often.
In the first five games, before Prescott suffered from his season-ending injury, the Cowboys’ quarterback was finding his targets left and right. In the 48 targets Gallup received in the first half of the season, 28 of them came from Prescott in the first five weeks. With Dak under center, Michael Gallup was averaging just over five targets per game during that time span. With that said, Gallup has to do better with the opportunities he’s given.
Volume Isn’t the Issue
By the end of the season, Gallup finished with 105 targets. In comparison, Tee Higgins wound up with 108. Although both wide receivers were given similar volume, Higgins managed to be a much better fantasy football option. This was due to Higgins’ 62% completion percentage, while Gallup only caught 56.2% of passes thrown his way.
It’s not a secret that Gallup struggles with actually catching the ball. However, if he were to improve in that department, it’s possible Gallup would’ve finished as a top 25 wide receiver in fantasy football this year. This is likely Gallup’s ceiling next year, which means he should still have some value in fantasy football drafts in 2021.
Potential Fantasy Football Draft Value
On the Fantasy Pros website, they have Gallup listed as the WR38 in PPR formats. He finished with 173.3 total points scored, averaging 10.8 points per game. Not very impressive for the Cowboys WR, but if he improves his pass-catching ability, he’ll be an excellent flex option in fantasy football.
Due to his lackluster performance in 2020, Gallup may be a late-round flier in fantasy drafts next year. Cooper and Lamb will be perceived as the better fantasy options. Also, there may even be people who write Gallup off their draft board altogether. However, Gallup has the potential to be a fantastic acquisition late in your fantasy football drafts. Keep note of Gallup’s offseason, his development is reliant on his fantasy football potential.
