Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 22, 2024, 1:00 ET
Location: Northwest Stadium, Landover, Maryland
Network: Fox
Writer: Matt LaMarca (@MattLaMarca on Twitter)
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts: Start, QB1
Jalen Hurts is having another fantastic season, even if it may not always feel that way when watching live. He’s the No. 3 quarterback in terms of fantasy points per game, trailing only Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. He’s finished as a top 10 scorer at the position in seven of his past nine games, including six finishes inside the top five. Much of his value comes from his ability to score touchdowns with his legs, with Hurts scoring at least one rushing touchdown in eight of his past nine games. Whether it’s with his arm, legs, or a combination of both, expect him to get the job done vs. the Commanders.
Running Back
Saquon Barkley: Start, RB1
Kenneth Gainwell: Sit, RB4
Turns out this Saquon Barkley guy is pretty good at football. He’s always been considered an elite talent at the position, but he was wasted for years behind a subpar Giants’ offensive line. Now that he’s in Philadelphia, his talent has been completely unlocked. He’s the No. 1 running in fantasy on a per-game basis, though he has come back to reality slightly in his past two contests. Still, he’s a high-end RB1 vs. the Commanders.
Kenneth Gainwell has seen a slight boost in opportunities recently. He played on 40% of the team’s offensive snaps last week, including most of the passing downs. He also handled seven carries vs. the Steelers, which could put him on the fantasy radar. However, it’s important to put that into context. Three of Gainwell’s carries came in garbage time, so his utilization wasn’t as good as it looked on paper. In a game that should be competitive, he’ll likely revert to more of a reserve role.
Wide Receiver
A.J. Brown: Start, WR1
DeVonta Smith: FLEX Option, WR3
The Eagles have been one of the most low-volume passing attacks in football this season. Their average of 25.7 pass attempts per game is easily the lowest mark in the league; no other team is below 28.1. However, when the Eagles have taken to the air, A.J. Brown has been their clear top receiver. He’s posted a 33% target share and a 49% air yards share for the year, both of which are among the best in football. Ultimately, that’s good enough to overcome the low passing volume. He’s the No. 11 receiver in per-game scoring for the year, and he’s solidly in the WR1 conversation vs. the Commanders.
DeVonta Smith is the clear-cut No. 2 receiver for the Eagles, but he still sees plenty of work. He has a 27% target share and 33% air yards share for the year, so this offense is clearly condensed around two pass-catchers. Smith is a bit more volatile than Brown, but he still has excellent upside: he was a top-five scorer at the position last week. His volatility makes him more of a high-end FLEX than a low-end WR2, but he’s a startable option regardless.
Tight End
Grant Calcaterra: Sit, TE2
Dallas Goedert is currently on IR, meaning Grant Calcaterra will step in as the Eagles’ starting tight end. He was on the field for an elite 95% of pass plays last week, but it resulted in just a 3% target share. Ultimately, no one outside of Brown or Smith has seen consistent enough targets to warrant consideration in this passing attack.
Washington Commanders
Quarterback
Jayden Daniels: Start, QB1
Jayden Daniels came out of the gates red hot, but he hit a bit of a lull in the middle of the year. That coincided with a rib injury, which resulted in lower rushing upside. However, Daniels has bounced back of late, finishing as a top-seven scorer at the position in three straight weeks. That includes two weeks in the top two. The Eagles are a brutal matchup for quarterbacks, but I’m not going to be the guy who benches Daniels in the fantasy playoffs.
Running Back
Brian Robinson: Start, RB2
Jeremy McNichols: Sit
Chris Rodriguez: Sit
With Austin Ekeler out of the picture, Brian Robinson has taken on more of an every-down role for the Commanders. He played on 73% of the team’s offensive snaps last week, which was his second-highest mark of the year. He’s even gotten a few more opportunities in the passing game, which gives him a slight boost for fantasy purposes. It gives him a better floor at a minimum, and that could come in handy against an Eagles defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. Robinson is ultimately a low-end RB2 in Week 16, but his expanded role warrants a spot in your lineup.
Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez have seen some additional opportunities since Ekeler went down, but it’s not enough to put either on the radar.
Wide Receiver
Terry McLaurin: Start, WR2
Dyami Brown: Sit
Terry McLaurin is the only receiver worth targeting in Washington. However, he’s a good one. He’s right on the WR1/WR2 border most weeks, but I think the matchup vs. the Eagles pushes him down slightly in Week 16. They’ve allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing receivers, and their secondary has dominated at times. He was basically shut out by the Eagles in their first meeting this season, limiting him to just two targets, one catch, and 10 yards. Still, that’s McLaurin’s only bad game since Week 3. He’s finished as a top-10 scorer at the position in three straight weeks, and like Daniels, I’m not going to be the guy to bench him during the playoffs.
Dyami Brown has seen a slight uptick in value, with Noah Brown on the sidelines. He posted an 83% route participation last week, but he saw just four targets vs. the Saints. No receiver besides McLaurin has provided any real production this season, so Brown isn’t in the conversation vs. the Eagles.
Tight End
Zach Ertz: Sit
Ben Sinnott: Sit
It’s unclear who will start at tight end for the Commanders this week. Zach Ertz has filled that role for most of the season, but he picked up a concussion last week vs. the Saints. He’s currently in the concussion protocol, so his status vs. the Eagles is very much in jeopardy.
If he’s unable to go, Ben Sinnott figures to be the top option for the Commanders. He saw the majority of the pass-catching opportunities for the Commanders after Ertz left last week, though that didn’t result in much tangible production (one catch, seven yards).
Ultimately, neither player stands out as particularly appealing in this spot. Ertz has had some value at times this season, but he’s a low-ceiling player in a really tough matchup. You can do better at the position.