Week 1 fantasy owners had to be thrilled with Chip Kelly's NFL debut. The combination of his fast-paced offense and the Eagles skill players is a match made in heaven, and especially so when it comes to fantasy football.
This week the Eagles are looking to feast upon San Diego in Philadelphia' home opener.
START:
QB Michael Vick
Vick finished with 203 yards and 3 touchdowns (1 running). Injury risk and turnovers are always the obvious issues with Vick, but he seems to look comfortable in Kelly's offense. The only turnover Vick committed was a questionable "backwards pass" that was ruled a fumble. He is still a threat as a runner despite his age.
RB LeSean McCoy
McCoy ran for 184 yards on 31 carries (5.9 avg) and a touchdown. The most impressive stat, however? A whopping 9 forced missed tackles. Shady McCoy is a dynamic weapon in Kelly's offense and he benefits from possibly some of the best run blocking in the NFL. The Eagles may look to dial down his carries a bit, as they should, but starting McCoy is a no-brainer.
WR DeSean Jackson
Not only did DeSean rack up yards (104) and a touchdown, but he also caught 7 passes which is good news for PPR leagues. Unlike in the past, it's not only the deep ball that gets Jackson involved. Vick targeted Jackson 9 times on Monday. Jackson is still a home run threat, especially when it comes to getting yards after the catch.
TE Brent Celek
Celek played 68 snaps (82%) against the Redskins. He only had 2 catches on 3 targets but amounted 57 yards and 1 touchdown. With Ertz's reliability in question, and James Casey no where to be found in week 1, starting Celek makes sense.
SIT:
WR Jason Avant & Riley Cooper
These two combined for only 9 targets and only 27 yards. Both of them are great blockers though, so if you find a fantasy league that awards you points for WR blocking, go ahead! (PS: You won't.)
RB Bryce Brown
Brown played 16 snaps (19%) and had a few carries but did not look good running the ball when he got caught up trying to push it to the outside instead of running vertically. If the Eagles lean on McCoy as heavily as they did in the first game, Brown will not see a lot of reps. It is possible Chris Polk is mixed in here as well.
TE Zach Ertz
Ertz played 26 snaps (31%) on Monday night and was targeted three times but dropped the ball twice. One of the throws was behind him and the other one was toughly contested, but the fact is Ertz has not shown very reliable hands. If he proves to be unreliable, the Eagles may avoid him.
Eagles defense
There is certainly a focus on offense in San Diego. HC Mike McCoy used to be the Broncos' offensive coordinator and SD's current OC Ken Whisenhunt has an offensive reputation. In week 1 the Chargers put up 28 points on a respectable Houston defense. While the Eagles defense did a commendable job of forcing turnovers and not allowing the Redskins offense to score until later in the game, it may be early to completely trust this unit. Plus, if the Eagles build an early lead and take their foot off the gas like they did against Washington, it could mean they surrender some garbage time touchdowns.
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Good luck in your leagues, unless you're playing me, of course.
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- Eagles' Fletcher Cox declines to comment on SEC agent scandal
- The Linc - Managing LeSean McCoy's Carries
- Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall fined $20,000 for horse collar tackle on DeSean Jackson
- Chip Kelly's full arsenal of Eagles offensive talents not yet on display
- Eagles Rookie OT Lane Johnson looks impressive early