Game Info
Kickoff: Thursday, October 22nd at 8:20 PM ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Betting Odds: PHI -5.5, 47.5 total via Oddsshark
Network: FOX, NFL Network
New York Giants
Quarterback
Daniel Jones (Sit)
Any positive vibes fantasy managers had about Daniel Jones heading into the season have all but disappeared. Jones had an impossibly tough schedule to open the season but then the schedule opened up with a Week 5 game against Dallas followed by a Week 6 game with Washington. After two stinkers against some of the league’s worst teams, Jones just cannot be trusted as a fantasy starter. The Giants are 30th in offensive DVOA (per Football Outsiders) and are scoring just 16.8 points per game. Jones belongs on your league’s waiver wire in redraft leagues.
Running Backs
DeVonta Freeman (Start, Flex)
Since signing Week 3 DeVonta Freeman has taken control of Giants backfield, for whatever that is worth. Freeman has received more than 18 opportunities per game in the last three weeks and scored once. Freeman is far from the back we remembered in his heyday but OC Jason Garrett seems content to hand him the ball in all situations despite just 3.2 yards per carry. Philly has a strong defensive line and should bottle up Freeman for most of the day but expect Freeman to carry the ball 15+ times with a handful of targets. If he sees the end-zone he could salvage a decent fantasy day. He is a decent play on volume alone, especially with four teams on bye. Just don’t expect much upside.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Darius Slayton (Start, WR3, Ankle), Sterling Shepard (Start, Flex), Golden Tate (Sit, Deep Flex if Slayton or Shepard are out), Evan Engram (Start, TE1)
The Giants are dealing with several injuries to their receiving corps, so managers should pay attention to the Wednesday evening practice reports. Darius Slayton, the Giants leading receiver, has been limited in practice but the team may just be resting him on a short week. Indications are that he will play but he may be limited after turning his ankle outside the end-zone after scoring last week. Darius Slay may be in shadow coverage and has yet to allow a touchdown. Managers can risk him as a WR3 this week and hope gets a bulk of the targets. Likewise, Sterling Shepard is expected to play this week after recovering from a toe injury in Week 2. Heading into the season expectations were high for Shepard but he’s played just a game and a half. With Slayton limited, pulling Slay’s coverage and on a short week, Jones could lean on Shepard with the majority of the targets. That should be enough to push him into flex territory. Be sure to keep an eye on the injury reports, if either Slayton or Shepard miss Thursday night’s game, Golden Tate becomes a low-end flex play for managers that are in need. However, most weeks you will want to avoid using your flex position so early in the week.
It has been a disappointing opening stretch for Evan Engram. Engram is seeing seven targets a game but still has just 20 receptions and 177 yards. That is not the production fantasy managers were hoping for heading into the season. This is a bounce-back and perhaps breakout game for Engram against an Eagles defense that is 29th in fantasy points allowed to the position, including four touchdowns. This may be a game that Engram explodes and allow managers to sell high.
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback
Carson Wentz (Start, QB2)
2020 Carson Wentz looks similar to 2019 Wentz, leading a team of replacements on offense while admirably producing for fantasy managers. After a slow start, Wentz has now had four straight games of 20+ fantasy points, and while that still has produced just two Top 12 fantasy scoring weeks he hasn’t been a total bust. Wentz is currently the QB15 in points per game but this week he faces a Giants team that is top 7 against opposing quarterbacks. As bad as the Giants record has been, the defense has been close to league average and allowing just 250 passing yards per game to quarterbacks. Wentz is a starter in SuperFlex and 2QB leagues but is not a top option this week.
Running Back
Boston Scott (Start, RB2), Corey Clement (Sit)
News broke Wednesday that Miles Sanders has been ruled out of this game, which should mean a heavy workload for Boston Scott. In PPR Scott is a nice option, he has shown soft hands and collected 24 catches on 26 targets down the stretch in 2019. AS a runner he may struggle but volume and opportunity could be enough to push him into low-end RB2 status. Scott has yet to reach 60 yards rushing in any career game but that could change in this matchup. The Giants are vulnerable to the run and have allowed four rushing and two receiving touchdowns to backs. Scott is a fine start this week. Corey Clement will serve as the primary backup this week but all indications are that he will again be in a reserve role.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Travis Fulgham (Start, WR2), DeSean Jackson (Start, Flex), Greg Ward (Sit), Richard Rogers (Sit)
If you are a savvy fantasy manager that picked up Travis Fulgham on waivers weeks ago, congratulations. If he is somehow still available in your league (still just 52% rostered in Yahoo leagues), he is an excellent mid-season addition. Fulgham has earned 27 targets in the past three weeks, including five high-value red-zone targets. He has also scored in each of the past three weeks. Goalline targets tend to be a sticky number and an indication that the quarterback trusts the receiver. Fulgham is a big target and could find his way into the endzone again this week, and should have a productive Thursday night. Wentz is also getting another weapon returning to the lineup as DeSean Jackson is expected to play Thursday night. Jackson will draw plenty of coverage, which is even more promising for Fulgham, but all it takes is one catch for Jackson to pay off in fantasy lineups. The Eagles will test the Giants deep, at least a handful of times this week. Jackson is a boom or bust play and is a nice flex starter should managers need a boost.
The remaining pass-catchers are hard to sort through and should be avoided. At tight end, both Dallas Goedert (IR, hairline ankle fracture) and Zach Ertz (high ankle sprain) will miss Thursday’s game. Richard Rogers will see the most action but it is hard to trust him for any production. The same goes for Greg Ward who may see limited targets with the return of Jackson.
-Marc Salazar (@dingwog on Twitter)