When it comes to speculating on just how big of an impact prized Philadelphia Eagles first-rounder Makai Lemon will have in his rookie season, the sheer production he's capable of will hinge on a few key factors.
ESPN's Ben Solak crafted a piece on his offensive rookie of the year predictions, listing the trio of Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, and Titans wideout Carnell Tate as his three strongest favorites to reign in offensive rookie of the year honors. And when citing his favorite long shots for the award, he places Lemon in the mix at seventh overall amongst the rookie class, but deems his chances as capped due to projected volume and pecking order in his upcoming rookie campaign:
"Makai Lemon, WR, Eagles: Lemon is the leader in the clubhouse for WR2 behind DeVonta Smith (assuming A.J. Brown is traded), but it's tough to feel great about his potential for drawing volume on a run-heavy team such as the Eagles. However, any injury to Smith will immediately put Lemon in a position for eight-plus (and even 10-plus) targets per game, as there are no incumbent veterans (save for Dallas Goedert) in his way. He goes from an afterthought to potential leader in the clubhouse should that domino fall."
Makai Lemon has a longshot chance to win award
The grouping slotted ahead of Lemon makes perfect sense, as Mendoza, Love, and Tate will be focal points right off the bat with their respective franchises. Meanwhile, Lemon, assuming Brown is traded, immediately slots in as the #2 in Philly. Nonetheless, with a surplus of viable weapons around him, including Smith, Goedert, and fellow newcomers Dontayvion Wicks, rookie tight end Eli Stowers, and savvy vet Hollywood Brown, there are certainly mouths to feed.
The new approach on offense with Sean Mannion taking the reins figures to spread the rock around plenty, which is also crucial to note when projecting a wideout, especially as a rookie. While Barkley will no doubt be leaned upon plenty, the passing phase should be designed to quickly distribute touches to the several legit threats in this new-look Eagles' skill group.
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The cat-like quickness of Lemon is already on full display with the rookie minicamp underway. The talent appears as smooth as it is impressive. It's simply a matter of how many touches he gets when it comes to projecting overall numbers, but when called upon, Lemon will be fully capable of posting excellent numbers.
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