10 Philadelphia Eagles that need to shine on Sunday Night Football
54. . . . Greg Ward, wide receiver. 4. player
The Philadelphia Eagles will count on a pair of young wide receivers to step up.
Once the Eagles coaching staff started speaking glowingly about Greg Ward in the training camp, we knew he would be part of the team’s offense heading into 2020. What we didn’t know was how prominent that role would end up becoming. Having placed rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor on the Injury Reserve list and DeSean Jackson out in Week 4 with a hamstring injury, Ward has quickly risen up the depth chart.
Ward has hauled in 14 receptions for 108 yards and one touchdown while playing a bit more than 25 percent of the team’s snaps on offense in 2020. He will have an expanded role in Week 4. Let’s see if he can pull another exciting performance like the one he did in the Eagles’ Week 15 matchup of the 2019 season.
54. . . . John Hightower, wide receiver. 3. player
Who would have thought before the season started that Ward and John Hightower would be the Eagles starting wide receivers in Week 4? Deontay Burnett, Quez Watkins, Travis Fulgham may see playing time as well, but Ward and Hightower will likely be Carson Wentz’s main targets on Sunday Night Football.
Hightower had a solid training camp, but it was doubtful he was going to have a heavy role on the offense based on how deep the wide receiver grouping was at the time. That unit is now depleted and it’s time for the Boise State standout to shine in prime-time television. He’s caught three passes for 17 yards in 2020. The Eagles will need him to, at minimum, double that amount against the 49ers if they want to get their first win of the season.