The Philadelphia Eagles received some unfortunate news leading up to their Week 2 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons as A.J. Brown ($10,400) has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
The star wide receiver did not pop up on the injury report until Friday. Brown was a limited participant in Friday’s practice after feeling tightness in his hamstring. After going through a light walkthrough on Sunday, Brown has officially been ruled out for Week 2. The three-time Pro Bowl WR tallied five receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown in the opening game.
The Eagles will face off with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. After the Eagles were considered 6.5-point favorites for most of the week, the line shifted to -5.5 in favor of the Eagles on DraftKings Sportsbook following the injury. The Falcons are now +200 underdogs on the moneyline and the over/under sits at 46 for the matchup.
DeVonta Smith will make up A.J. Brown’s production
Brown is responsible for 119 yards receiving in the opening week and 1,456 receiving yards last year, so there is plenty of production the Eagles will need to fill. Look no further than DeVonta Smith ($8,800) for who will step up in the Eagles offense. Smith would be a number one wide receiver on several NFL teams with his talent level, and will prove this in the Monday night matchup.
Smith is coming off a Week 1 performance in which he tallied seven receptions for 84 yards. Looking at the DraftKings DFS scoring, Brown ranked seventh in the league with 25.9 fantasy points last week while Smith was 19th with 15.4 points.
The former 10th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is as polished of a number two option that you will find. He has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in the past two seasons and tallied over 900 yards all three of his seasons in the NFL.
Brown was traded to the Eagles ahead of the 2022 season and has suited up for all 17 regular season games in each of the previous two seasons. There has been just one game that Smith played without Brown on the other side of the formation. This was last year’s opening round playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite the Eagles’ loss, Smith recorded eight receptions on 12 targets for 148 receiving yards.
Expect the Eagles to increase the target share directed at Smith and for him to perform as one of the top wide receivers of the week.
In addition, the Eagles will lean on a few of their other offensive weapons. Dallas Goedert ($5,800) is coming off a four-reception performance for 31 yards in the opening week but has been higher in the offensive pecking order in past years. Expect him to be more of a target in the red zone without Brown on the field.
The Eagles also made a surprising move to trade for Jahan Dotson ($4,000) shortly before the start of the season. This is the exact type of situation the organization was planning for. The former Commanders pass catcher has recorded 1,041 receiving yards in the NFL across his two seasons and has a chance to make a name for himself in Week 2.
While the loss of Brown is a notable hit to the Eagles offense, expectations should remain high. The team will continue to lean on Saquon Barkley ($10,600) following his three touchdown debut. Jalen Hurts ($10,000) is a dynamic weapon in his own right and will be looking to lead the Eagles to their second win of the season. Philadelphia will not reach their peak as an offense without Brown, but have the talent to tread water in the meantime.
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