Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 1, 2024, 4:25 ET
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Network: CBS
Writer: Chris Helle (@ChrisHelleQBL on Twitter)
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts: Start, QB1
Since the Eagles’ Week 5 BYE, Jalen Hurts has scored the most fantasy points for QBs in 4-point passing TD formats. He took a minor dip in his production against the Rams this past Sunday night, but Saquon can’t be expected to run for 255 yards every game. That was also his first game in the last 6 weeks he went without a rushing TD. Hurts’ production does bump up slightly with all of his weapons healthy, but he should still continue to put up elite numbers as long as A.J. Brown suits up.
Running Back
Saquon Barkley: Start, RB1
Kenneth Gainwell: Sit
300 all-purpose yards including two TDs from 70+ yards last week… sheesh. Putting Saquon Barkley’s talent behind a top-3 offensive line in the league is a match made in heaven, and while we can’t expect 40+ fantasy points from him every week he’s a safe bet to get you RB1 numbers. We did see some more out of Kenneth Gainwell last week, but this will be a hard-fought match so Philly will likely continue to lean on their stud.
Wide Receiver
A.J. Brown: Start, WR1
Devonta Smith: Start, WR2
Jahan Dotson: Sit
A.J. Brown’s TD drought was broken last week and so too ends his streak of games outside a top-10 fantasy finish. The most promising thing from this past weekend was his utilization included more than just fades up the sidelines — slants, curls, and digs across the middle. The absence of Devonta Smith last week may have had some impact, but the fact he was able to put up those numbers with Saquon going crazy goes to show how integral his role in this offense is. Should Smith return to action this week, A.J. should still put up WR1 production and Smith would be seen as a low-end WR2 with high upside. Smith is one of the most talented 2nd-option receivers in the league, but his target share has been a little inconsistent for fantasy purposes and he’ll be coming off a hamstring injury. Baltimore is a pass-funnel defense though, so he should still be able to scrap together at least a few catches and potentially a touchdown too.
Tight End
Dallas Goedert: Streaming Option, TE2
Grant Calcaterra: Sit
We would have hoped to see a better day from Dallas Goedert this past weekend with Devonta Smith out, but only 20 yards on his 4 receptions is cause for concern. He does have the big-play-making ability that makes him one of the better TEs in the league, but Smith returning increases the risk of his target share taking a hit. In the 5 games where both Goedert and Smith played, they each had 2 games with more receptions than their counterpart and tied in the remainder. It’s a small sample size but the point remains that A.J. Brown is the clear #1 target, and it gets dicey for which of these two other receiving options gets more work. This game could easily turn into a high-scoring affair though, so Goedert has a high upside if you’re in need to fill your TE slot.
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: Start, QB1
Much has been said about how tough Philly’s defense has been, while simultaneously the Ravens offense seems to have cooled off from their hot start to the season. The Rams showed some kinks in their armor and they also lost their veteran pass rusher, Brandon Graham, last week. The other factor to consider is that the most mobile QBs the Eagles have faced are Trevor Lawrence (who got a rushing TD in that matchup) and Jayden Daniels (who was still nursing his injured ribs). Both of those QBs are worlds apart from the athleticism Lamar Jackson brings to the table. This is another game that could turn out similarly to this past week against the Chargers — not a ton of production through the air but still a respectable QB1 finish.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: Start, RB1
Justice Hill: Sit, RB4
Keaton Mitchell: Sit
The King will always be a start, but this won’t be a cakewalk by any means. The Eagles’ defense ranks 4th in EPA/rush, has allowed the 6th fewest rushing yards, and 7th fewest rushing TDs. Nonetheless, having Lamar to keep the defense honest is a matchup that Philly has yet to face and should open opportunities for Derrick Henry. He just ran for 140 yards against a solid Chargers defense, and Justice Hill was the opportunist to break off a 51-yard TD. The snap and rush share between these two backs have been varied the past few weeks, so Hill should only be under consideration in deep leagues as a desperation start.
Wide Receiver
Zay Flowers: Start, WR2
Rashod Bateman: FLEX Option, WR4
Diontae Johnson: Sit
The Eagles’ rookie CBs have shown to be among the best in the league and should pose a test for this receiving corps, especially Zay Flowers. Philly’s defense is 7th in EPA/pass and has allowed the 5th lowest completion rate. Flowers’ speed and shiftiness bring some big-play potential which makes up for his lack of touchdowns (only 4 on the season), and he’s seen 6 or more targets in 6 straight games. On the other hand, Rashod Bateman has only logged 2 games all season with more than 5 targets. With that said, he’s outpaced Flowers in TDs so he could be considered as a low-end FLEX option if you’re willing to gamble on him bringing in another.
Tight End
Mark Andrews: Streaming Option, TE2
Isaiah Likely: Sit
Mark Andrews can be seen as a high-end version of Tucker Kraft — neither sees a ton of utilization but both are TD machines. Lamar’s chemistry with Andrews has hit its stride as he’s connected on 28/30 targets with 6 TDs since Week 6. Philly’s linebackers have been decent in pass coverage though, so Andrews is only a high-end TE2 as a TD-dependent receiver with an uncertain target share.