Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, January 1 at 1:00 PM ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Betting Odds: PHI -5.5, 44 Total on Oddshark
Network: FOX
Writer: Drew DeLuca (@DrewDeLaware on Twitter)
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback
Gardner Minshew (Sit, QB2)
Jalen Hurts is expected to miss this week’s New Year’s Day matchup with a sprained shoulder injury that he suffered on December 18 in Chicago. Gardner Minshew filled in admirably last week, throwing for 355 yards and a pair of touchdowns against a tough Dallas Cowboys defense. Minshew did account for three of the Eagles’ four turnovers, however.
The loss of Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson, who hasn’t allowed a sack since November 2020, is a major blow for Minshew, who is far from the quintessential athlete Hurts is. Minshew is a skilled gamer who can move around a bit, but he lacks Hurts’ speed, elusiveness, and open-field explosiveness. The saving grace for Minshew: he still has three Pro Bowl-caliber linemen left on that offensive line, and he boasts one of the finest collections of skill position players to work with.
Minshew is arguably the top streaming option for those in search of a starting quarterback for their Championship Game matchups. He finished as the QB5 last week and should have an easier time against a beatable Saints defense. Expect low-end QB1 numbers from the mustached-maestro of the Philadelphia offense.
Running Back
Miles Sanders (Start, RB2), Kenny Gainwell (Sit), Boston Scott (Sit)
Miles Sanders enters Week 17 as the NFL’s fifth-leading rusher, which is remarkable given his inconsistent usage down the stretch this season. Sanders finished as the overall RB2 in Week 12 after racking up 146 total yards against the Green Bay Packers. Inexplicably, he received only 10 carries against the Titans the following week, and just 11 two weeks later against the toothless Chicago Bears.
Sanders has finished as a Top Three fantasy football RB three times this season, which makes his inconsistent usage all the more puzzling. Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott continue to serve as his backups, but neither offers any consistency that fantasy managers can count on. Sit both, but fire up Sanders as a mid-to-high-end RB2 this week, with upside for more.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
A.J. Brown (Start, WR1), DeVonta Smith (Start, WR2), Quez Watkins (Sit), Dallas Goedert (Start, TE1)
For the second straight week, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown both surpassed the 100-yard mark. Smith led the team with 12 targets; Brown’s eight were good for second-best. Brown is shaping up to be a solid WR1 this week, while Smith is poised to offer high-end WR2 value. Quez Watkins, who had a catch ripped away by DaRon Bland for an interception in Week 16, caught only one of five targets. He has underwhelmed in several game situations this year, so he’s better off on benches and waiver wires in Week 16.
Dallas Goedert, however, is a definite start as a TE1. The 5th year South Dakota State product returned last week after a five-week injury hiatus and made his presence felt by catching all three of his targets for 67 yards, finishing just outside the Top 12 among fantasy tight ends. Prior to sustaining an injury in Week 10 against the Washington Commanders, Goedert finished as a top-ten tight end in six of his previous seven games. I foresee a new streak of this sort kicking off in Philly on New Year’s Day.
New Orleans Saints
QUARTERBACK
Andy Dalton (Sit)
Jameis Winston fractured four bones in his back in Week 1 but played through the pain for two weeks before handing over the reins to Andy Dalton. The “Red Rifle” has valiantly filled in as the Saints’ field general, but he’s essentially a low-upside game manager who occasionally yields key red zone snaps to Taysom Hill, who we’ll get to later. With the exception of a hiccup in Dallas last week (their third straight road game), the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense has been a force to be reckoned with in recent weeks. The Eagles are among the league leaders in sacks, which doesn’t bode well for statuesque signal callers like Dalton. Leave him on the bench in all formats.
RUNNING BACKS
Alvin Kamara (Start, RB2), David Johnson (Sit)
Alvin Kamara‘s fantasy value in past years has typically been boosted by his contributions in the passing game. However, Kamara hasn’t seen more than five targets in a game since Week 12. The good news: he still logged 20 or more touches in back-to-back games entering Week 17, and his four red zone touches last week are indicative of his team’s desire to feed Kamara a significant volume of high-value touches, much to the delight of his fantasy managers. Meanwhile, David Johnson is washed, and he won’t see sufficient volume to remind us of as much. Sit Johnson, but roll out Kamara with high-end RB2 expectations against an Eagles run defense that has improved since the start of the season.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Chris Olave (Start, WR3), Rashid Shaheed (Sit), Tre’Quan Smith (Sit), Marquez Callaway (Sit), Taysom Hill (Start, TE1), Juwan Johnson (Sit, TE2)
Chris Olave returned to practice on Wednesday, opening the door for him to suit up in Philly on New Year’s Day. In a bubble, he’s a low-end WR1, as he has flourished in the WR1 role bequeathed to him by injuries to Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry. However, an injury hangover will likely impact his performance if he’s able to give it a go this weekend, and his upside is further capped by a tough matchup and a subpar quarterback situation. Olave can be reasonably expected to produce WR3 numbers this week if given the green light to play.
Rashid Shaheed, Marquez Callaway, and Tre’Quan Smith remain far too “boom-or-bust” to trust. Meanwhile, “tight end” Taysom Hill continues to play a prominent, shape-shifting role in the Saints offense as a rusher, tight end, and part-time quarterback. As long as he lurks, Hill negatively impacts the floor of Juwan Johnson, who has posted a few impressive spike games so far this season. Hill is the safer bet of the two, but Johnson makes an intriguing desperation option for those locked into championship battles in deeper leagues.