Game Info
Kickoff: Monday, November 14 at 8:15 PM ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Betting Odds: PHI -11, 44 Total on Oddshark
Network: ESPN
Writer: Drew DeLuca (@DrewDeLaware on Twitter)
Washington Commanders
Quarterback
Taylor Heinicke (Sit, QB2)
Taylor Heinicke once again gets the nod yet again for a Washington Commanders team that was (2-4) when previously piloted by the oft-injured, much-maligned Carson Wentz. Heinicke turned in a yeoman’s performance in relief of Week 1 starter Ryan Fitzpatrick last season and has captained the on-field troops of a rudderless organization to a respectable .500 record (9-9) over the past two seasons.
Heinicke plays each game like it’s his last, inspiring others around him to likewise put up their best efforts. Similarly, for fantasy purposes, Heinicke produces pedestrian, yet respectable numbers. He has been the QB13 in fantasy points per game during his three-game stint so far this season. However, he has faced the Colts, Packers, and Vikings, who are hardly the ’85 Bears reincarnated.
Heinicke will face a much tougher test against a team that is allowing fewer big plays (30-plus yards) than any other team in the NFL. The Eagles also lead the NFL in takeaways per game (2.3) by a wide margin. Expect Heinicke to post one of the worst stat lines of any quarterback in the league; anyone rolling him out must do so with visions of garbage time production dancing in their heads.
Running Backs
Brian Robinson (Sit, Flex), Antonio Gibson (Start, Flex), J. D. McKissic (Sit), Jonathan Williams (Sit)
Incredibly, Brian Robinson returned to the field in Week 5, a mere four weeks after being shot multiple times. Robinson led all Commanders running backs in touches that day, a feat he managed to repeat every week since with one exception (Week 8). His 67 carries over the last five weeks are nearly twice the total racked up so far by last year’s lead back, Antonio Gibson. To his credit, however, Gibson has been more of a factor in the passing game of late, rendering J. D. McKissic useless for fantasy purposes. McKissic has also missed time due to a neck injury and has needed to visit a specialist.
As for the remaining member of the Washington backfield, the only Jonathan Williams of note in my book is a composer, one of the greats of the modern era who gave us the musical themes to the Olympics, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and of course…Sunday Night Football. Leave his namesake on your waiver wire.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Terry McLaurin (Start, WR3), Curtis Samuel (Start, Flex), Jahan Dotson (Sit), Dyami Brown (Sit), Cam Sims (Sit), Dax Milne (Sit), Logan Thomas (Sit), John Bates (Sit), Cole Turner (Sit)
I’m a big fan of Terry McLaurin. He’s a tremendous wide receiver, but he and shifty fellow Ohio State alumnus Curtis Samuel are unfortunately set to square off against one of the league’s best cornerback duos, Darius Slay and James Bradberry. Both should see sufficient target volume to post respectable numbers even if their efficiency metrics take a dive, as expected. Neither should be counted on as a difference-maker, though a presumably negative game script can work wonders for fantasy managers of wide receivers, even those in hostile environments against division rivals.
Talented rookie Jahan Dotson hasn’t played since Week 4, and this isn’t the ideal opponent for a player in his situation to face while attempting to knock off the rust. Leave him on your benches, and let Dyami Brown, Cam Sims, and Dax Milne remain on your waiver wires. Tight end Logan Thomas, who returned from injury two weeks ago, saw his first targets since Week 4 this past Sunday. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to haul any of them in.
Eagles’ SAM linebacker Kyzir White is playing inspired football and makes a less-than-appealing matchup for any Commanders tight end. No one from this position group has racked up more than 30 yards of offense since Week 2 with the exception of John Bates, who caught three passes for 39 yards and no touchdowns in Week 5, a month ago. Bates and Cole Turner have shown flashes in the past, but neither will see the field enough on Monday night to matter.
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts (Start, QB1)
Jalen Hurts is the QB3 overall so far this season in fantasy points per game. He leads all NFL quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns (6), ranks among the Top 5 in rushing yards per game (41.1), and draws a neutral-to-plus matchup at home against a Commanders defense that has yet to allow a rushing touchdown to a quarterback. We like the odds of Hurts making that particular doughnut disappear on Monday night faster than a hungry Homer Simpson.
Look, if you really need us to tell you to start Jalen Hurts this week, you’ve likely just awakened from a three-month slumber. His only haters left at this point are die-hard Cowboys and Commanders fans. Start Hurts in Week 10 and you’ll once again reap the benefits of Top 3 numbers.
Running Back
Miles Sanders (Start, RB2), Kenny Gainwell (Sit), Boston Scott (Sit)
As mentioned several times in this space, Miles Sanders‘ elite fantasy ceiling is capped by a prolific rushing quarterback who vultures touchdowns and eats up yards between the 20s. He’s the RB17 overall in fantasy points per game and continues to fend off Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott for the lion’s share of the Eagles’ backfield touches. Sanders should be a high-end RB2 in Week 10 thanks to an expected positive game script, while Gainwell and Scott are essentially lottery tickets who could find paydirt in second-half garbage time.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
A.J. Brown (Start, WR1), DeVonta Smith (Start, WR2), Quez Watkins (Sit), Zach Pascal (Sit), Dallas Goedert (Start, TE1)
DeVonta Smith tore apart the Commanders in Week 3, racking up 169 yards and a touchdown while catching eight of 12 targets. He has frustrated some fantasy managers with inconsistent volume and by not caring about their fantasy teams. Yet, there’s this:
The following WRs have more receptions (40+) and a higher catch rate (75.5%+) than DeVonta Smith so far this season:
Cooper Kupp
That’s the list.
PHI is 8-0. Game scripts aren’t helping his fantasy value, but exactly what is it about his “play” that “isn’t getting it done?”🧐 https://t.co/YviEkMi8c3
— Drew DeLuca (@DrewDeLaware) November 5, 2022
Smith’s WR/CB matchup in the rematch with Washington is just as juicy this time around, with Benjamin St. Juste and Kendall Fuller scaring neither Smith nor A.J. Brown. The latter is currently the overall WR8 this season in fantasy points per game. We prefer Brown, but both he and Smith should be in lineups in every fantasy league this weekend; it wouldn’t be a surprise if both crossed the stripe and posted 80-100+ yards each.
Quez Watkins can fly, and like Smith, his hands are better than advertised. His one flaw: as a deep threat on a team that has consistently enjoyed positive game scripts, he simply doesn’t draw enough deep targets to justify fantasy consideration. Zach Pascal is a willing blocker, but an underwhelming fantasy option. He’s not someone anyone should roster in fantasy leagues, much less start.
Meanwhile, Dallas Goedert has been the most productive fantasy tight end not named Travis Kelce. He’s the overall TE3 this season in fantasy points per game so he’s a must-start, even against a Commanders defense that has allowed fewer fantasy points to tight ends than any other team in the league. He may not finish with Top 3 numbers this week, but a finish outside the Top 10 would be a surprise. It’s highly doubtful that fantasy managers will have a better option to choose from, so plug him into lineups without worry.