Eagles Fantasy Football Preview: Week 2

It was a strange week for the Philadelphia Eagles and fantasy football, as some different guys from expected were the ones to score a bunch of points. In Week 2, the Eagles will face the Cowboys in their home opener, a surely explosive matchup. Here’s the outlook of the main Eagles players for fantasy football this week, including who you should start/sit and add/drop:

QB Sam Bradford

Week 1 Performance: 336 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INT (13 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 15 fantasy points

Everyone knew that Bradford was going to be rusty when he finally returned for a full game, but I was pleasantly surprised with how efficient he was by the second half of just the first game. He likely isn’t worth starting yet, but it might be good to stash him on your bench if you have room in case he evolves to start averaging 17-18 fantasy points per game. His 13 points in Week 1 was hurt by the two interceptions he threw, but only one was his fault. Normally, he won’t throw as many picks. He has QB2 value in Week 2 against Dallas.

RB DeMarco Murray

Week 1 Performance: 9 rushing yards, TD, 11 receiving yards, TD (13 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 12 fantasy points

Had Murray not scored the two short touchdowns, he would’ve had a brutal first week as the Eagles’ starting running back. I still don’t think Chip Kelly has any clue how much he wants to use each of his three running backs, but it will likely depend on the game situation and who has the hot hand. I don’t think this is a RBBC yet, as Murray still holds the most overall value. But Murray will not be the dominant No. 1 guy like he was last year. However, I expect him to have a big game against his former team next week. He is still an RB1 in standard formats.

RB Ryan Mathews

Week 1 Performance: 4 rushing yards, TD, 24 receiving yards (8 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 4 fantasy points

Like Murray, his touchdown was what saved his fantasy performance. I expect both of these running backs to continue to score a lot of touchdowns because of how high-powered the Eagles’ offense is, but Mathews will certainly have some dud weeks. Matthews had a bad drop on a swing pass that would’ve gotten him a few extra yards as well. He’s definitely not worth more than an RB3/Flex position at this point and probably won’t see much increased value, although he still is a good handcuff for Murray.

RB Darren Sproles

Week 1 Performance: 50 rushing yards, 76 receiving yards (12 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 6 fantasy points

Just when I thought Sproles would finally no longer have fantasy value, he has another great Week 1 performance that puts him back in the conversation. In terms of yards, he was by far the most productive Eagles running back, combing for over 100 all-purpose yards. Murray and Mathews combined for just 13 rushing yards while Sproles averaged 10 yards per carry. In PPR leagues, Sproles is a must-own, and in all other leagues, he’s worth picking up for the foreseeable future. As for actually putting him in the starting lineup, it’s still too early for that.

WR Jordan Matthews

Week 1 Performance: 10 catches, 102 receiving yards (10 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 8 fantasy points

Matthews had the most predictable performance out of anyone on this team. He caught passes on 10 of his 12 targets on his way to a 100-yard game. He should’ve had a touchdown as well, but Kelly neglected to challenge the play that landed Matthews inside the 1-yard line. He did have a bad drop at the end of the game that led to an interception, but drops happen. It was excusable considering how well he had played up to that point. He’s a high-end WR2 option against Dallas, who lost Orlando Scandrick to a season-ending injury before last week.

WR Nelson Agholor

Week 1 Performance: 1 catch, 5 receiving yards (0 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 6 fantasy points

Agholor had an extremely quiet game despite the continuous passing attack against Atlanta. He was only targeted twice and finished without a single fantasy point. I still believe he’s the second-best wide receiver on the team, so look for him to bounce back. I wouldn’t start him even as a WR3/Flex option in Week 2, but don’t drop him. He should bounce back soon.

TE Zach Ertz

Week 1 Performance: 3 catches, 46 receiving yards (4 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 6 fantasy points

I’m surprised Ertz even played last week considered he was still a little banged up from the injury he suffered in training camp. He still managed to get 46 receiving yards in the process, an okay total but nothing great. It was a good sign that he played though, as it means he’s likely a safe bet to start moving forward. He was targeted eight times and played far more snaps than Brent Celek, which are also good signs. He’s a TE1 this week against the Cowboys.

K Cody Parkey

Week 1 Performance: 1/2 FG, 3/3 XP (5 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 8 fantasy points

Parkey’s shaky preseason continued a bit into Week 1, missing a potential winning field goal with only a couple minutes left in the fourth quarter. He was rushed to kick it, which may have affected his accuracy, and he’s also still battling a groin injury. He’s no longer a must-own at this point, as there are probably safer options out there for the time being. However, it’s probably still worth holding onto him if you trust him. Remember, he had an amazing 2014 season, so he’s capable of a lot.

Eagles D/ST

Week 1 Performance: 26 points against, 2 INT, 1 sack (4 fantasy points)
ESPN Week 2 Projection: 4 fantasy points

The Eagles defense did not look very good at times against Atlanta. They did manage two picks (and Malcolm Jenkins should’ve made it three), but they struggled to get to the quarterback and had just one sack. They also gave up a ton of yards and too many points. Dallas is missing Dez Bryant next week so the defense should fare a lot better. They’re a low-end starting option.

Next: Sam Bradford looked strong in Eagles regular season debut

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