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The Philadelphia Eagles became a much more interesting fantasy football team in the 2022 offseason.
Last season, they figured out how to win over the back half of the season by leaning into Jalen Hurts’ running ability and becoming a ground-and-pound team behind a good offensive line.
The Eagles’ offseason moves haven’t exactly pointed to following that recipe in 2022. The only major move they made on offense was to add A.J. Brown. They also signed a former Nick Sirianni favorite in Zach Pascal, but the rest of the offseason was aimed at improving the defense.
The additions of Haason Reddick, James Bradberry, Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean will give the defense an influx of talent that should help but doesn’t reshape the offense.
So, the key in buying stock in the Eagles’ offense will be correctly identifying value. Based on average draft position at FantasyPros, here are two players who are likely to outperform their draft slot and one to target in dynasty drafts.
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ADP: 72 (QB9)
The best and simplest way to leverage the Eagles’ offense for your fantasy team is to take Jalen Hurts.
Hurts enters the season with questions about his ability as a passer. In his first full season as a starter he threw for just over 3,000 yards while completing just 61.3 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Hurts’ passing is really secondary when it comes to his fantasy value, though. He’s a great option at his current ADP based on his rushing prowess alone. As Ian Hartitz of Pro Football Focus noted, Hurts scored more fantasy points on the ground last season than Michael Vick did in any season of his career.
The 23-year-old added 784 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. That rushing production gave him an elevated floor and allowed him to score 19 points or more in 10 of his starts.
Hurts finished ninth in overall scoring for quarterbacks in 2021. For him to outperform his ADP this season he just has to put up better numbers than he did last season and he gets to swap out Jalen Reagor for A.J. Brown in his receiving corps.
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ADP: 66 (RB27)
Despite the Eagles relying heavily on the run game over the second half of the season, Miles Sanders did not get to reap the benefits of the shift.
The 25-year-old was the “lead back,” if you can call it that, in the first half of the season. He led all backs in carries but was only getting somewhere between 6-15 carries per game. He then suffered an ankle injury right before the Eagles really started relying on the ground game.
When he came back in Week 11, though, he was again the lead back and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. He racked up 454 yards from Weeks 11-16.
The injury concerns and a crowded backfield are baked into the price for the Penn State product. There’s still potential for him to get an RB1 workload, though. Despite Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott providing solid production when called upon, Sanders was the top back when healthy.
A healthy Sanders could wind up being a real steal in 2022. While the Eagles project to pass more with A.J. Brown on the roster, they are still going to be an effective rushing team regardless of Hurts’ progression as a passer.
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Dynasty ADP: 60 (WR29)
The Eagles didn’t draft a skill player this year until Grant Calcaterra in the sixth round. The tight end has some upside, but a concerning history of concussions and the fact that he was a Day 3 pick make it less likely he’ll be fantasy-relevant.
Kennedy Brooks could be an intriguing option, but it’s a crowded backfield in Philly.
So, the Eagles don’t really have anyone to target in dynasty rookie drafts, but those in a startup should be looking to snag DeVonta Smith at his current ADP.
The 23-year-old is lower than he should be, based on A.J. Brown’s acquisition, making him WR2 in a run-heavy offense. But finding value in dynasty is often about looking one year ahead.
One of two things is going to happen in Philadelphia this year: Either Jalen Hurts is going to make huge strides as a passer or the Eagles are going to be in the market for a new quarterback next year. Either way, Smith will be a winner.
The 2020 Heisman Trophy winner had a disappointing rookie season when compared with the likes of Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, but those are unrealistic comparisons.
The fact that Smith put up 916 yards and five touchdowns with his running mates at receiver being Quez Watkins and Jalen Reagor is a good sign for his future production.
If Hurts improves or the Eagles bring in a better passer next season, the Alabama product’s price is going to be much higher in 2023.
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