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Amazingly, Beasley has emerged in recent weeks as Dallas' second most productive receiver, surpassing the more physically gifted and more highly touted Terrance Williams. In the last three weeks, he's caught nine passes on 12 targets for 149 yards and three touchdowns.
On the season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), only four receivers who have been targeted at least 30 times have caught as many passes per target as Beasley, who—along with Malcom Floyd of the San Diego Chargers—is one of only two players in football with zero dropped passes on at least 30 targets.
As that table indicates, it's a little easier to catch a high percentage of the passes you see when you aren't a top receiver. Bryant attracts a lot of attention from opposing defenses, which has made life easier on Williams and Beasley.
Yet, Williams has caught only 57.7 of the passes Tony Romo and Brandon Weeden have thrown his way. Ultimately, you have to make the plays. And recently, Beasley has come up big.
A prime example came when he caught a Romo pass inside the 5-yard line with the clock running out on the first-half clock last week against the Chicago Bears. Beasley (5'8", 180 lbs) was met almost immediately by Bears safety Chris Conte (6'2", 203 lbs).
But the little slot receiver that could carried the experienced defender about three-and-a-half yards into the end zone to break a 7-7 tie.
It was a game-changing play from Beasley, who also scored on Dallas' first series of the third quarter and was inches short of another touchdown earlier in the game:
He's got that clutch-play gene. An impressive 72 percent of the catches he's made this season have been for first downs, and he and Jarius Wright of the Minnesota Vikings are the only two receivers in football who have caught more than 85 percent of the third-down passes thrown their way (minimum 10 targets).
He's also the only receiver in football who has caught every one of his red-zone targets, at least among those who have been thrown at a minimum of four times inside the 20-yard line.
Beasley has lost a pair of fumbles this year, including a costly one against the Eagles on Thanksgiving. But the team hasn't lost faith in him, and he's redeemed himself nicely. There's little reason to believe he'll screw up again, which is why the Cowboys should continue to lean on him down the stretch.
In that last meeting with the Eagles, the Philly defense limited Bryant to four catches on seven targets while keeping Dallas' most dangerous weapon out of the end zone. The Eagles have a good pass rush regardless of how many guys they send after the quarterback, so they can afford to use two high safeties in order to contain Bryant.
But that's where Beasley comes in.
The Cowboys are going to need their sneaky slot receiver to find openings often so that Romo can have another option in big spots. And based on what we've seen of late, there's no reason to think he won't deliver on that Sunday night in Philly.
Brad Gagnon has covered the NFC East for Bleacher Report since 2012.
Follow @Brad_Gagnon
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