Philadelphia Eagles Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections

As expected, the Eagles will be without one of their best offensive linemen vs. the Seahawks this afternoon.

Oh boy were things bad for the Saints defense in Week 1. Getting completely shredded by Ryan Fitzpatrick is not a good look. They are a really nice D/ST bounce-back candidate in tournaments thanks to some vulnerability in the form of the Browns tackles - most notably LT Desmond Harrison, who handles Tyrod's blind side. One poor game is not enough to make us think this still isn’t one of the league’s better defenses.

Despite a road meeting with Tampa, the Eagles are another D/ST unit that's very likely to go overlooked. Darren Sproles' absence doesn't help, but they should still give Ryan Fitzpatrick considerably more trouble than he had in Week 1. It's risky to bet on Tampa to keep up even a similar level of offensive production.

Tyrod Taylor was carted off the field yesterday after he hurt his knee but he reportedly avoided ligament damage and is considered day-to-day with a patellar tendon contusion. If he misses any time, it would put rookie Nathan Peterman under center again, who will reportedly try to throw fewer than five interceptions in the first half. He didn’t throw any in relief of Taylor this weekend and fortunately for the Bills, they’ll be taking on one of the worst secondaries in the league when they host the Colts on Sunday. They’re giving up the most yards per attempt (8.3) while giving up the eighth-most fantasy points to QBs and ranking 13th in total interceptions (10). They were without their best corner, Rashaan Melvin (hand), in Week 13 and Blake Bortles tore them up, completing 74% of his passes for 309 yards and two scores. Melvin isn’t expected back this week and fellow starting CB Pierre Desir left Week 13 early with a shoulder injury. That could leave them with Quincy Wilson and Kenny Moore on the outside, who would rank 99th and 111th in PFF coverage grades if they qualified. On top of that, the Colts are 29th in adjusted sack rate and generally struggle to apply pressure on QBs. It’s going to be incredibly hard to trust Peterman and his pass-catchers if he starts but this matchup is worlds apart from his debut against the Chargers. Travaris Cadet is in the concussion protocol. He handled seven touches on Sunday. Mike Tolbert missed the past few games but he’s expected to return to practice this week. If both players end up out, it would open up a monster workload for LeSean McCoy. On the defensive side of things, CB Tre’Davious White is in the concussion protocol after taking a late hit from Rob Gronkowski. He’s had a fantastic rookie season, currently ranking fifth in PFF coverage grades and 13th in cover snaps per reception (14.5) while boasting a 51% catch rate. He’d primarily see Chester Rogers if he suits up, so his absence would be an upgrade for the receiver. Outside of one explosive game against the Steelers - when a huge chunk of his 6/6/104/1 line came on a 61-yard TD - he’s been relatively quiet, failing to top 35 yards or score. In another blow to their run defense, DE Shaq Lawson was carted off with an ankle injury. He’s PFF’s 31st-ranked edge defender against the rush and ranks 18th at his position in run-stop rate. His absence would help Frank Gore.

Matthew Stafford has a bruised throwing hand which shouldn’t prevent him from playing this weekend against the Buccaneers, whose defense is allowing the second-most yards per attempt (7.9) and fifth-highest completion percentage (67%). Stafford is eighth among quarterbacks with 7.8 ypa but he’s taken the second-most sacks (38) as he’s playing behind the 24th-ranked offensive line in pass blocking efficiency. Both RT Rick Wagner and RG T.J. Lang exited Week 12 early which is bad news considering they have the 9th and 5th-best pass blocking grades at their respective positions (per PFF). Fortunately for Stafford, Tampa Bay is dead last in adjusted sack rate (per FO).

Zach Ertz will have to the clear the concussion protocol after being forced from Sunday night’s game early with a head injury. That makes him questionable for Week 14. Last time he missed a game, Brent Celek played 81% of the snaps and Trey Burton played 70% and they ran routes on 35% and 38% of their plays, respectively. They both saw four targets but Burton was the only one to find the end zone. They’ll have a tougher matchup for TEs this time around when they visit the Rams, whose defense is allowing the sixth-fewest PPR points to the position while ranking fifth in DVOA.

Delanie Walker sprained his ankle on a touchdown grab and is considered day-to-day. He played well Sunday, catching all five of his targets for 63 yards the aforementioned score. Per usual, the Titans pass-catchers suffered because Marcus Mariota only threw the ball 23 times. They're running the sixth-fewest plays per game this season (60.6). DL DaQuan Jones has been placed on IR after he suffered a biceps injury Sunday. He had been playing well, racking up 3.5 sacks over the past two games. On the season, he posted the 12th-best run-stop rate among interior defenders. His absence will be an upgrade for Adrian Peterson in Week 14 if the running back is able to return from a neck injury.

C.J. Fiedoworicz could be done for the season after he suffered another concussion Sunday. The last one forced him to the IR and it’s his third since the preseason. With Braxton Miller also forced from the game with a concussion, Bruce Ellington dealing with a hamstring issue, and Will Fuller still sidelined, TE Stephen Anderson saw 12 targets and turned them into five catches for 79 yards and a score. The Texans are running out of people to throw the ball to; depending on how the injury situation shakes out, Anderson could be in line for another heavy workload against the 49ers this weekend. With all of their injury troubles at safety, San Francisco has struggled defending the position recently, allowing the fifth-most PPR points to TEs over the past four weeks. Of course, DeAndre Hopkins will continue to pick up a massive workload no matter what – he saw 14 targets last game – and the 49ers are 27th in WR1 DVOA.

Ravens CB Jimmy Smith tore his Achilles’ tendon on Sunday. He’d been dealing with a sore Achilles for most of the season, often missing practices to rest it. He’ll now miss the rest of the year, which is a big blow to the Ravens secondary. Per PFF, he was allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points per route (0.15) heading into Week 13. Rookie CB Marlon Humphrey will join Brandon Carr in the starting line up in place of Smith. He’s seen as many targets as Smith (40) in a little over half the snaps and he’s held receivers to fewer receptions (20 to 23) and yards (282 to 292). Similar to Smith, he hasn’t been charged with a touchdown and he’s picked off two passes (Smith has three). We’ll find out what he’s made of next weekend when he’s set to face Antonio Brown most of the game.

Dolphins CB Cordrea Tankersley suffered shoulder and ankle injuries Sunday but he was able to return the game. The team said they’ll go easy on his this week and the Sun Sentinel believes his status is uncertain. The Dolphins are set to face Tom Brady and the Patriots this weekend, so if they have to dig to into their bench, it would help New England’s passing game. Considering the Dolphins have allowed the second-most fantasy points to QBs over the past four weeks and rank 31st in pass DVOA, it’s already a tremendous spot for the Pats.

Rams LB Alec Ogletree injured his elbow but he believes he’ll be ready to play the Eagles this weekend. He’s one of the best pass-rushing linebackers in the game; he’s recorded the fifth-best pass rushing productivity rate among linebackers while recording the third-most pressures (17, per PFF). He would be very useful this weekend considering the Eagles offensive line is sixth in pass-blocking efficiency. They allow a high-percentage of pressures to be converted into sacks though. They’ve been charged with the tenth-most sacks (18) and rank 17th in adjusted sack rate (per FO).

Bears DL Mitch Unrein left Week 13 with a knee injury. He’s posted the ninth-best run-stop rate this season among interior defenders, so his absence next week would be a boost for Joe Mixon. The rookie runner impressed last week against a tough Browns run defense, picking up 114 yards and a TD on the ground. Although he’s last among qualifiers in PFF’s elusive rating (22), he was seventh in Week 12 (59.4). He also added three catches for 51 yards. On the season, his yards per route run would be fifth-among RBs if he qualified (1.83). The Bears are 14th in receiving RB DVOA but have held the position to the fifth-fewest receiving yards this season (34.3/g). Chicago also lost LB Pernell McPhee, PFF’s 49th-ranked edge defender in run defense, and LG Kyle Long to shoulder injuries. Chicago’s backup guards have performed poorly this season, so if Long misses time it’s a downgrade for their pass-protection and ground game. The Bengals defensive line is 18th is adjusted sack rate and 30th in adjusted line yards.

Chiefs DL Allen Bailey injured his knee Sunday, forcing him from the game. He hasn’t had a strong year and he’s earned PFF’s 105th interior defender grade. C Mitch Morse was carted off with a foot injury. He’s been battling foot problems all year and he’s the 29th-ranked center by PFF grading among 36 qualifiers.

Falcons LG Andy Levitre is dealing with a triceps injury. He’s PFF’s 16th-ranked guard this year and he’s allowed the eighth-fewest pressures at his position (12). With the Saints and the third-ranked defense in adjusted sack rate headed to town, Levitre’s presence could really help quarterback Matt Ryan.

Giants RT Chad Wheeler, Justin Pugh’s backup, suffered a concussion Sunday. Bobby Hart, PFF’s 68th tackle among 80 qualifiers, filled in for him. It’s possible Pugh will be able to return this weekend. As a unit, the Giants are 15th in adjusted sack rate and they’ll be taking on a Colts defense that’s 29th in the metric.

Darby hasn't played since dislocating his ankle back in Week 1. His presence will make things tougher for outside receivers Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams, although he'll primarily see the latter. After a monster Week 9 for Williams in which he caught all nine of his targets for 141 yards, he came crashing back to earth with a 1/4/9/0 line in Week 10 as the Cowboys offense struggled in Atlanta. Bryant picked up a team-high eight targets but only managed to reel in four for 39 scoreless yards. As a unit, the Eagles pass defense finds itself in eighth in pass DVOA and they've given up the sixth-fewest touchdowns to WRs despite being without Darby. Early lines have the Eagles as 3.0-point road favorites.

Although he's been able to practice, he's been running with the second unit as he tries to get his strength and conditioning back up. He's considered a game-time decision but reporters covering the team expect him to sit this one out and make his return following their Week 10 bye. His continued absence would make things easier for Demaryius Thomas. The receiver may benefit from the change at quarterback as well. With Trevor Siemian, Thomas averaged 8.5 targets per game and he’s hit double-digits once. Across Osweiler’s eight appearances in 2015, Thomas attracted 10.5 looks per game and saw between 10-14 five times. Thomas could spend plenty of time battling Rasul Douglas, who's allowed the 14th-most yards per cover snap (1.36), and Jalen Mills, who's allowed the fourth-most total yards (426) and fifth-most touchdowns (4). He appears to be the better bet over Emmanuel Sanders, who's expected to return this weekend. In addition to coming off an injury, Sanders played in seven of those Osweiler games and averaged 8.0 targets while only hitting double-digits once.

Although he's been able to practice, it appears Darby is still not ready to make his return. Reporter Jeff McLane put the chances of Darby playing at "less than 1" when asked if he thought Darby would play (on a scale from 1-10). His absence would make things easier for Demaryius Thomas. The receiver may benefit from the change at quarterback as well. With Trevor Siemian, Thomas averaged 8.5 targets per game and he’s hit double-digits once. Across Osweiler’s eight appearances in 2015, Thomas attracted 10.5 looks per game and saw between 10-14 five times. Thomas could spend plenty of time battling Rasul Douglas, who's allowed the 14th-most yards per cover snap (1.36), and Jalen Mills, who's allowed the fourth-most total yards (426) and fifth-most touchdowns (4). He appears to be the better bet over Emmanuel Sanders, who's expected to return this weekend. In addition to coming off an injury, Sanders played in seven of those Osweiler games and averaged 8.0 targets while only hitting double-digits once.

Zach Miller dislocated his knee while trying to reel in a touchdown Sunday. He underwent major surgery last night in an effort to save his leg. Dion Sims and rookie Adam Shaheen will pick up more snaps and touches going forward. It’s another major blow to Chicago’s passing game, they’ll continue to hand off the ball to Jordan Howard as much as game flow allows. Howard will face a Green Bay Packers rush defense in Week 9 that ranks 18th in DVOA (per FO) and is allowing the fourth-most PPR points to RBs.

Jordan Reed exited Sunday’s game with a hamstring issue. He hasn’t been fully healthy all season and fellow tight end Niles Paul is now in the concussion protocol. That could potentially leave Vernon Davis with a huge role in Seattle in Week 9. The Seahawks pass defense got worked by Deshaun Watson and company but only two of the quarterback’s passes went to his tight ends. Overall, they’ve been pretty solid against the better TEs they’ve faced, limiting Jack Doyle, Martellus Bennett, and Delanie Walker to 43 scoreless yards or less each. Evan Engram did the most damage, finishing with a 6/60/1 line but he wasn’t particularly efficient considering he saw 12 targets in that contest. As a unit, Seattle ranked sixth in TE DVOA heading into Week 8. Washington will head into this contest with a banged-up offensive line that had three starters inactive Sunday and starting LG Shawn Lauvao exited early with a stinger. Seattle’s defense could be a popular fantasy option if they don’t get healthier up front.

Cole Beasley has entered the concussion protocol. He only played 48% of the team’s snaps over the past five games and he hasn’t topped 33 yards all season. Whether he plays or not, the Cowboys will try to employ a run-heavy approach. As seen yesterday when Bryant was chirping at coaches and quarterback Dak Prescott on the sidelines, this approached doesn’t seem to sit well with him. He hasn’t hit 100 receiving yards all season and he’s only topped 63 once. He had a tough matchup with Josh Norman and Quinton Dunbar this weekend though, and he’ll have a better one next Sunday against the Chiefs. He only runs 27% of his routes on Marcus Peters’ side, leaving him with Terrance Mitchell, PFF’s 84th cover corner, the most.

Pierre Garcon suffered an apparent neck injury and didn’t end up playing much in the second half of Sunday’s game. Afterward, he said he expects to play in Week 9 but it’s worth keeping an eye on him. If he suits up, he could be shadowed by Patrick Peterson, setting up an advantage for Marquise Goodwin. If he misses, it would elevate Aldrick Robinson into the starting lineup.

Chris Hogan left Week 8 early with a shoulder injury and was seen sporting a sling after the game. The Patriots are on a bye this week and then head to Denver for a tough matchup in Week 10. If Hogan isn’t able to return, it could open up snaps for Danny Amendola and Phillip Dorsett.

49ers S Jimmie Ward has a fractured forearm and is out indefinitely. On top of that, the 49ers lost starting LT Joe Staley, who’s dealing with a fractured orbital bone, and backup RT Garry Gilliam, who was filling in for the injured Trent Brown, left early with a knee issue. Quarterback C.J. Beathard was sacked four times and threw two interceptions Sunday while facing pressure on 27 of his 45 dropbacks. Although Arizona’s defensive line is 29th in adjusted sack rate, they could find success against this banged-up 49ers unit. Solomon Thomas has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain and is expected to miss a couple games. With DE Arik Armstead already on the IR, the 49ers will be without their two starting edge defenders.

Jets CB Morris Claiborne was successfully shutting down Julio Jones in shadow coverage until he went down with a foot injury in the third quarter. Naturally, Jones immediately reeled in a 53-yard grab as soon as Claiborne hobbled off. Although an x-ray came back negative yesterday, he’ll undergo further testing today. He’s got a short week to recover as the Jets host the Bills on Thursday night. Slot corner Buster Skrine was inactive Sunday with a concussion and he’s in danger of missing Week 9 as well, setting up a better spot for Tyrod Taylor and his pass-catchers. Receivers Andre Holmes, Zay Jones, and Jordan Matthews all caught exactly three passes in Week 8. Matthews could benefit from Skrine’s absence in the slot but he hasn’t seen more than five targets in any game this season. LeSean McCoy continues to pace the Bills with 46 targets and 38 receptions.

Eagles CB Patrick Robinson entered the concussion protocol Sunday. He’s been terrific this season, earning PFF’s fourth-best corner grade. It’s possible CB Ronald Darby remains sidelined in Week 9, which would leave Philly’s pass defense very vulnerable against the Broncos. It’s not clear if Emmanuel Sanders will be able to play tonight against the Chiefs, but he should be back for Week 9 and he travels to the slot more than Demaryius Thomas – 24% of his routes.

Seahawks S Earl Thomas injured his hamstring Sunday and he’ll undergo an MRI today to figure out the extent of the injury. For what it’s worth, he’s confident he can play this weekend but it’s worth keeping an eye on PFF’s sixth-ranked cover safety this week. The Seahawks host the Redskins this weekend, Thomas’ potential absence could open up some downfield opportunities for quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Bengals DE Michael Johnson suffered a back injury in Week 8, opening up snaps for Jordan Willis. Although he’s seen a somewhat limited role this season, Willis has earned PFF’s 24th-best run defense grade among edge defenders. If Johnson isn’t able to go this weekend, Willis will try to help the team stop Leonard Fournette, who’s expected to return from an ankle injury this week. As a unit, the Bengals were sixth in rush DVOA heading into Week 8.

Texans DT Christian Covington suffered an elbow injury that will cost him the rest of the season. He picked up a major role due to injuries on Houston’s defense and earned PFF’s 28th-best interior defender grade this season. Over the past three weeks he played, he’s earned the eighth-best pass rushing productivity rate at his position (per PFF). It's yet another huge blow to this defense that's been decimated by injuries. The Texans host the Colts this weekend, setting up a decent spot for Jacoby Brissett who passed for 233 yards and two touchdowns against a tougher Bengals defense in Week 8.

Steelers S Mike Mitchell exited Sunday night’s game with an ankle injury, although he said he would be alright. PFF’s 32nd cover safety has played a big role in Pittsburgh’s success defending the pass. They were the epitome of a bend-but-don’t-break defense last night against the Lions. Despite allowing Matthew Stafford to throw for 423 yards and make several trips into the red zone, they didn’t allow a single touchdown and won the game by five points. Mitchell will have a Week 9 bye to get healthy.

Darby isn't ready to make his return yet, leaving the Eagles with Jalen Mills and Patrick Robinson as their primary corners. Rasul Douglas and Jaylen Watkins rotated in for nickel packages last week with Robinson moving to the slot, and safety Malcolm Jenkins often rolls up into slot coverage. Goodwin is expected to primarily see a mix of Robinson and Douglas. The former is PFF's fourth-ranked cover corner but he's 60th in yards per cover snap (1.39) while the latter is the 60th cover corner and 63rd in yards/snap (1.5). Goodwin is a boom-or-bust type option that's seen as many as 11 targets this season but only exceed six twice. His teammate Pierre Garcon has seen double-digit looks on four occasions but he's only passed the century mark once and hasn't found the end zone. He'll battle Jalen Mills the most, who's allowed the most receptions (41), sixth-most yards (400), and fifth-most touchdowns (4) this season. There is some legitimate weather concerns in Philly today - it's expected to be very wet and a little windy - and the game total has fallen from 48 to 45 points, leaving the 49ers with an implied total of 16.25 as 12.5-point road dogs.

Darby is has a good chance to make his return this weekend against the 49ers after returning to practice last week. He's only played 18 snaps this season after getting injured in the opening game but he'll present an upgrade for a pass defense that's allowing the fifth-most PPR points to receivers. If he suits up, it's a downgrade for outside receivers Pierre Garcon and either Marquise Goodwin (questionable) or his replacement, Aldrick Robinson, although they'll get some run against Jalen Mills as well. Garcon has the advantage there as he's running 52% of his routes on Mills' side compared to 25% for Goodwin and 26% for Robinson. The Eagles corner has allowed the most receptions (41), sixth-most yards (400), and fifth-most touchdowns (4) this season. Philly is funneling fantasy production to the opposing receivers and tight ends as they're giving up the fewest rushing yards (42.0) and eighth-fewest PPR points to RBs. Last week, San Francisco had QB C.J. Beathard toss the rock 38 times as they played from behind and he could see a similar volume this weekend considering the 49ers are 13-point road dogs. With Darby back and slot corner Patrick Robinson having a phenomenal year, currently ranking in the top ten in yards per cover snap and cover snaps per reception when lined up inside (per PFF), Beathard may target Garcon quite a bit. He could also look for George Kittle often if the tight end returns to a high snap count - he played a season-low 31 last week. The Eagles are allowing the fifth-most PPR points to TEs and they struggled against Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis in Week 7; the pair combined for a 12/14/131/2 line. They're also permitting the seventh-most receptions to RBs (6.57), making Hyde a better option in full PPR formats, but he's still a risky choice against this defense. Kendricks will make his return after being inactive last weekend and the Eagles could really use him with LB Jordan Hicks done for the season. He's PFF's 25th-ranked linebacker and their best one in coverage.