All things considered, all is going well for the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles. Even after losing to Denver Broncos, the Eagles are 4-1 and would be the top seed in the NFC if the playoffs started today, in excellent position to defend their Super Bowl title. The team’s signature Tush Push is as devastating as ever, and Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are back to being lockdown defenders. Saquon Barkley’s slow start is somewhat concerning for Philadelphia, but he’s Saquon Barkley.
Regardless, there have been rumblings of discontent emanating from the City of Brotherly Love. Wide receiver A.J. Brown has been openly frustrated with his role in the offense, as he’s amassed just 19 catches for 194 yards and one touchdown through the first five weeks, posting numbers across the board that would be career lows. In fact, he’s been just WR41 by DraftKings’ fantasy scoring, below his teammate DeVonta Smith and barely ahead of undrafted Seattle Seahawks rookie Tory Horton. His 52.8% catch rate ranks 31st-to-last among the 177 qualified receivers, displaying a surprising lack of chemistry with quarterback Jalen Hurts. He’s hardly making it enticing for Hurts to throw his way, though: his 1.7 yards of average separation rank seventh-to-last among all wideouts with 15 or more targets this season.
With the exception of a six-catch, 109-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, Brown has been consistently disappointing all season, finishing with fewer than 10 receiving yards in two separate contests. He’s still been targeted plenty, receiving eight or more in each of his past four games, but his average depth of target is a career low and he hasn’t caught the ball in places where he’s had the opportunity to break off yards after the catch. It’s hard to blame Hurts — his bad throw rate is the league’s fifth-lowest — and Brown hasn’t dropped a pass yet, but I can’t trust him in fantasy unless he demonstrates a better connection with his quarterback. The Eagles’ offensive line will also need to get healthier; if Landon Dickerson can’t play to help protect Hurts, Brown’s deeper routes won’t have time to develop.
On paper, the New York Giants, who Philadelphia will face tonight in an 8:15 p.m. ET Thursday Night Football clash, aren’t the worst matchup for Brown. This season, the Giants have allowed the eighth-most receiving yards, even if on the 12th-worst efficiency. More promisingly, New York has actually allowed the second-most receiving yards to wideouts because it has been so solid at stopping tight ends, which could make both Smith and Brown fantasy-viable. However, the Giants’ top outside cornerback, Cor’Dale Flott, is much better than their slot corner, Andru Phillips, which could make targeting Smith in the slot a more appealing option than throwing to Brown. Plus, New York’s blitz-heavy scheme won’t give Hurts the time to find Brown deeper downfield.
Start or Sit: Sit A.J. Brown.
