Ryan Flournoy Is Done Being Invisible: The Cowboys' WR3 Is Coming for 1,000 Yards

OXNARD, Calif. — There was a time not long ago when Ryan Flournoy was just another name on the back of a camp jersey, a sixth-round lottery ticket fighting for reps. Now? He's the Dallas Cowboys' No. 3 receiver, and he's not just happy to be here. He's hunting 1,000 yards.

Flournoy's first two preseasons were about survival. This summer, he's a locked-in piece of the offense, likely getting the night off against the Seahawks on Saturday. That's what happens when you go from roster uncertainty to indispensable.

The rise

Last season, Flournoy finished with 40 catches, 475 yards and four touchdowns. He exploded for 114 yards against the Jets in Week 5 while CeeDee Lamb sat with a high ankle sprain. Then he backed it up with 115 yards and a score vs. Detroit. This isn't a fluke. It's a breakout in progress.

"I'm in a different spot," Flournoy said. "Last year I was wide receiver six or something like that. Now coming in as wide receiver three, my confidence is up. I know what to expect. I know what to do. Definitely just having fun, playing comfortable."

It almost didn't happen. Last August, the Cowboys waived Flournoy while trimming to 53. Coach Brian Schottenheimer promised the practice squad if he cleared waivers, but Flournoy had no guarantees. He spent that anxious stretch running routes at a local field, terrified of landing somewhere like, yes, Philadelphia.

The goal

Now the Cowboys know exactly what they have. Lamb has put up five straight 1,000-yard seasons. Pickens set career highs with 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. Add a confident Flournoy to that mix and this offense gets truly scary.

Only five teams in NFL history have boasted three 1,000-yard receivers in a season. The 2008 Cardinals were the last. Flournoy wants Dallas to be next.

"I wanted 1,000 yards last year," Flournoy said. "But honestly, 1,000 yards for everybody on the offense. I feel like me, GP, CeeDee, even Jake Ferguson can do it."

That might be a stretch, but the man is oozing belief. Dak Prescott sees it every day. "Always asking questions, always just doing the right thing," Prescott said. "He's a guy that you want on your team. His belief in himself, that's where it starts."

CeeDee sees a receiver who stopped waiting for permission. "Confidence is the main thing about this league, especially at the receiver position, because you never know when your opportunity is going to come," Lamb said. "I feel like he did a great job."

Pickens summed it up even shorter: "Detail guy. That's what I mean by detail can put you at a high standard."

It's a long way from fighting for a practice squad spot to being part of Dallas' GOTI ambitions. But Flournoy is wearing No. 19 for a reason — same digits as Miles Austin and Amari Cooper. He's not just trying to follow a tradition. He's trying to start his own.