The Eagles have a tough test ahead of them this weekend in the Green Bay Packers. Even though they are a strong opponent,the Packers have struggled against the run this season, and that is how the Eagles need to attack this week. With that in mind, there are not many Eagles to start for your fantasy team this week. Here's an overview of who should be on your bench and who should be in your lineup with fantasy playoffs around the corner.
Carson Wentz - Sit
This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone when the topic of Wentz struggling is constantly brought up. There should be a quarterback you can pick up from waivers or on your bench that you can start this week rather than Wentz. Even with plenty of garbage time, Wentz has not reached 20 fantasy points in four-straight games. He does have an upside when it comes to the ground game though, as last week he had 42 rushing yards. Other than that it doesn’t seem that he has had any other upsides for your lineup. He has thrown three interceptions in his previous two games and only has two games without an interception all season. The Packers defensive weakness is the run game, not the passing game. If Doug Pederson wants to attack through the air, it's likely going to lead to Wentz struggling throughout this game. Wentz is not a start this week, and if you still have him you should look for another quarterback because there aren't any games coming up that look enticing for #11.
Miles Sanders - Start
Sanders is still the Eagles lead running back, but it seems that his usage is dwindling. When Sanders returned from injury, he was receiving over 77% of the carries and Boston Scott was getting 18%. Now the backfield is more even with Sanders down to 50% and Scott jumping up to 44%. With that being said, in the past three weeks, Sanders still had two double-digit carry performances while Scott had zero. Fantasy owners should probably start to worry about his status for the rest of the season. If Doug Pederson continues to refuse to run the ball, it'll just be more of the same with the offense struggling and Sanders being a no-show from a fantasy standpoint. It is a shame how that he isn’t being used to his full potential, especially since he was taken early in most fantasy leagues. Sanders will still be a starter this week because of the Packers struggles against the run and the possibility that Pederson finally realizes he needs to run the ball often. Sanders' performance this week could lead to whether he is a start or not for your fantasy playoffs.
Eagles Wide Receivers - Sit
We have seen Wentz and his wide receivers struggle for weeks now. Because of these struggles, there hasn't really been a standout receiver to plug into your lineup. Just a few weeks ago it seemed like the top option was Travis Fulgham, who scored a touchdown in four of his first five games. Now in the past three weeks, he has combined for just four receptions for 32 yards. Greg Ward leads the Eagles in receptions, however it is only 41 receptions through 11 games. Jalen Reagor was supposed to be a big boost to the offense in his return from injury, but he only has 19 receptions through six games. It is difficult to determine who will be their top receiver week in and week out (and if their top receiver will even have good production), which is why I would avoid choosing any to insert in your fantasy lineup this week.
Zach Ertz - Sit
The Eagles activated Ertz off of IR and is expected to get on the field this week in some capacity. He hasn’t played since Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens. Through six games this season, Ertz has 24 receptions for 178 yards and one touchdown. These numbers are not Ertz-like; he has just not been the same player he was in the previous three seasons. In his last three games before his injury, Ertz only had nine receptions for 48 yards. It is unclear if Ertz will be let loose or if he will be on a limited snap count on Sunday, which is why he should sit on your bench for at least one more week.
Dallas Goedert - Start
Goedert had back-to-back solid performances these past two weeks against the Cleveland Browns and the Seattle Seahawks. In those two games combined, Goedert led the Eagles in targets with 16 and pulled in 12 receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns in those games. In recent weeks it seems like he is the only startable option through the air on the Eagles for your fantasy lineup. In the future we may see his production decline with Ertz almost at full health, which makes this week the potential last one with Goedert as their main target and the last week he can be a reliable starter in fantasy.
