NFL Fantasy Preview: Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts (Thomson200, Wikimedia Commons)

In a 32-part series leading up to the start of the 2021 National Football League season, we will take a look at each NFL franchise from a fantasy perspective. The 26th team we will review is the Philadelphia Eagles.

There is no doubt that the 2020 Philadelphia Eagles ended on a sour note. In the final week of the Eagles regular season, Philadelphia lost 20-14 to the Washington Football Team in a game where the Eagles made some curious decisions, as Nate Sudfeld came in for Jalen Hurts and was downright dreadful. The game did not mean anything to the Eagles at the time, but a win by Philly would have meant the New York Giants would have won the NFC East.

Now with the Eagles making a coaching change (Nick Sirianni replaces Doug Pederson), it appears this will be Hurts’s team now. The quarterback who spent time with Alabama and Oklahoma in college, showed definite signs of promise in 2021. In limited action, Hurts completed 77 of 148 attempts for 1061 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. He also had 63 rushes for 354 yards and three touchdowns. Hurts’s 354 rushing yards was extremely impressive when you consider the fact he only had four starts. Hurts’s 354 rushing yards was ninth in the NFL last season among quarterbacks.

In one particular game, Hurts had 18 carries for 106 yards in a 24-21 Eagles win over the New Orleans Saints. A week later, Hurts completed 24 of 44 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns, and 63 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in a 33-26 Eagles loss to the Arizona Cardinals. It was these two outstanding performances that led the Eagles to trade Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts on March 17. Hurts is currently ranked 11th among fantasy quarterbacks this season.

At wide receiver, the Eagles will hope another Crimson Tide star will shine. That is why they selected DeVonta Smith in the first round, 10th overall, in the 2021 NFL Draft. But before you think that Hurts and Smith had a lot of chemistry in Alabama, remember that Hurts had his two best years in Alabama in 2016 and 2017, before he went to Oklahoma, while Smith shined in 2019 and 2020. Anyways, Smith comes to the Eagles with a significant amount of talent, as he won the Heisman Trophy last year. In 2020, he caught 117 footballs for 1856 yards, and 23 touchdowns. Smith is currently 31st among wide receivers in fantasy football.

At running back, Miles Sanders of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania should be selected late in the second round. Currently ranked 19th among running backs, Sanders had 164 rushes for 867 yards and six touchdowns in 2020.

Finally, the Eagles defense had a respectable 2020 NFL regular season. Despite only having a record of four wins, 11 losses and one tie, Philadelphia had 155 fantasy points on defense. That was only one point less than the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills. The Eagles defense is ranked 12th in my fantasy rankings.

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