Michael Gallup will become an UFA after this season, and you should be buying him in your fantasy football leagues before his price tag raises.
In my first installation of fantasy football “Dynasty Buys”, I’ll be highlighting numerous players who are flying under the radar; those of which I believe are on their way up. These players will either blow their current ADP out of the water in the next couple of years, or they can be had for a cheap price now prior to their inevitable lift-off. In this article we’ll be looking at Dallas Cowboys WR Michael Gallup.
I’ve always been one of the first to say it – Michael Gallup doesn’t get nearly enough credit. On a team with Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb, it’s easy to see why. Compile that with how much disdain the Cowboys receive by the general public as a whole, and it makes sense. But you should be buying him in all of your leagues now before it’s too late. Let’s dive in.
College and Cowboys
Michael Gallup is a true grinder. After attending community college for two years, he was accepted into Colorado State and played on the football team his Junior and Senior year. Gallup played fantastically, accumulating 176 catches, 2690 yards, and 21 touchdowns – on a 98th percentile target share (36.4%). When Gallup was called upon, he delivered.
In 2018, he was selected in the third round by the Dallas Cowboys.
Michael Gallup seems to be the odd man out on the Dallas Cowboys offense, but he shouldn’t be forgotten in your fantasy football league. With an offense loaded with elite players, it’s easy to forget how talented Gallup is. Since being selected in the third-round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Gallup has been a consistent performer on an offense where he’s been the third (or fourth) weapon.
After a productive rookie season that saw him surpass 500 receiving yards, Gallup soared as a Sophomore; finishing as the WR22 in PPR (WR19 in Standard) in 2019 and cracking the 1,100 yard mark.
This past season the entire Dallas offense took a step back after a gruesome injury to Dak Prescott in Week 5. Despite that, Gallup still had a productive year with his myriad of quarterbacks – surpassing 100 targets and 800 yards to go along with five touchdowns.
Gallup will be an UDFA after this season, and it’s unlikely he’ll be a Cowboy in 2022. Now is the time to get him before he solidifies himself as a Top-24 WR for the next couple of years.
Michael Gallup is Really Good
Michael Gallup doesn’t get enough credit for just how good he is. He’s the best Cowboys WR against press coverage, ranking in the 81st percentile overall among his peers.
Michael Gallup is the best Cowboys WR against press coverage. As their X-receiver he faced press on 34.5% of his sampled routes for #ReceptionPerception and posted a 75.5% success rate (81st percentile). https://t.co/kwroGVYJn6
— Reception Perception (@RecepPerception) June 10, 2021
He’s done all of this playing primarily on the outside, obtaining a lowly 6.3 slot snap percentage in 2020, the lowest of his career. That shouldn’t go unnoticed. It’s a difficult task to ask a third year player to do (which he’s done since his rookie year). His charts on Matt Harmon‘s ‘Reception Perception‘ also tell an interesting story.
As you can see, Gallup is a jack of all trades. He’s able to beat defenders deep, get separation on comebacks and curls, and provides a sure target in the short-game. And just as a reminder, these charts come from a season in which he had a ‘down year’ from analyst projections.
So far in training camp, Gallup’s already putting defenders on skates. His latest victim is 2020 2nd round pick Trevon Diggs. Diggs is no slouch, either. In the 12 games Diggs played this season, he ranked as the 20th best coverage grade among CBs per PFF (omitting the weeks he missed in conjunction with his peers); he was the 34th-best otherwise.
Nice move from Gallup to beat Diggs. pic.twitter.com/XJIEKc4Y9S
— Joe Trahan (@JoeTrahan) July 25, 2021
At the moment, Michael Gallup’s ADP is 121.13 (averaged among each type of dynasty league – SF, Half-PPR, and PPR) and is the overall WR49 per Sleeper’s latest ADP release. In 12-team fantasy football leagues, that’s the 10th round. Dynasty is all about value, and Gallup is the definition of that.
In 2021 Michael Gallup is going into his age 25 season. He will hit UFA at an age where wide receivers have their best chance at a top-5 finish; and really, the best chance overall at being relevant in fantasy football. His ability to handle a large target share and succeed bodes well for his future, where ever he goes.
In terms of Gallup’s market value, he can come relatively cheap. A 2022 2nd-round pick usually gets the job done, or, an older starter. And, given the age apex of wide receivers, you’ll have Gallup throughout the duration of his prime. Which, if he continues on the pace he’s going, should be a bonafide top-24 WR for the entirety of his second NFL contract.
You need to be buying Michael Gallup in your fantasy football leagues now before his price skyrockets. His cost and ADP is incredibly low compared to his potential ceiling, and there’s no statistical reasoning as to why he can’t excel going forward.
