While Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles doesn’t mean anything for the Dallas Cowboys in terms of the NFC playoff picture, it is championship weekend in the fantasy football world. If you made it this far in your respective league, odds are CeeDee Lamb is on your roster.

Lamb has been a superstar for both the Cowboys and fantasy managers. He’s battled through an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder in Week 9. Lamb has aggravated the injury on multiple occasions, but has still produced at an All-Pro level with backup Cooper Rush throwing his way.

Lamb delivered last Sunday versus the Buccaneers to the tune of 100 receiving yards in the first half that helped Dallas jump out to a big lead. He sat out most of the second half after landing hard on his shoulder late in the second quarter.

The Cowboys wisely had Lamb undergo more scans on his shoulder and the results have unfortunately prompted them to shut down No. 88 for the final two games. This decision felt inevitable given what Lamb had been putting his body through.

Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) won’t play Week 17 vs. Eagles

It sucks that Lamb’s season ends prematurely, but he’s earned his rest. He could have shut it down well over a month ago. He signed a blockbuster contract in the offseason and the Cowboys were on the verge of bottoming out. That would have been the easy way out, though.

Lamb’s presence, even though he was effectively playing with one arm, helped Dallas salvage the season. They’ve won four of five and over the last three games Lamb’s averaged 7.3 catches for 104.6 receiving yards with two touchdowns to boot.

Mike McCarthy explaining Dallas’ decision to shut Lamb down makes that production even more impressive.

“When they had the scans and examination it was just clearly worse than it’s been,” McCarthy told 105.3 The Fan, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “The risk is too high to play this week. Even if we were in Week 3, this would probably be the same decision. It’s important for him to shut it down and start rehabbing.”

It is impossible not to marvel at Lamb’s toughness. The 26-year-old was in so much discomfort after last week’s win that he was focused on “trying to keep my shoulder attached to my body.”

Lamb was temporarily removed from that game near the end of the first half. Just as the press box announced that he was questionable to return, he jogged back onto the field and caught a pass that was initially ruled a touchdown. He made three defenders miss, which was incredible given his discomfort, and set up Ezekiel Elliott for an easy TD to give Dallas a 20-7 lead.

It is brutal that Cowboys fans won’t get to watch Lamb play football until 2025, but the grit he displayed the last several weeks brings excitement for next season. This team will not quit no matter the circumstance and Lamb is a big reason for that.