Philadelphia Eagles vs Atlanta Falcons
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterbacks
- Carson Wentz: 25/43, 231 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT | 3 carries, 3 yards, 1 TD
- Josh McCown: 3/5, 24 yards
Carson Wentz got off to another slow start tonight, but just like last week he had a strong second half that almost led the Eagles to a comeback win. Wentz was under pressure a lot tonight by the Falcons pass rush, and it’s a credit to his mobility that he was only sacked three times. He took several hard shots, leaving the game briefly to go through the concussion protocol and also appearing to injure his ribs. Undeterred by the hits he took, Wentz repeatedly extended plays with his legs and even dove for the end zone on a two-point conversion attempt. His first interception came from trying to force the ball downfield while under pressure, while his second interception was a terrible throw into coverage. Wentz deserves a lot of credit for his performance tonight, especially since he played without his top two receivers, and gave the Eagles a chance to win when he hit Nelson Agholor in stride for the go-ahead touchdown, only for Agholor to drop the ball. Wentz’s fantasy value may have taken a hit tonight with the injuries the Eagles suffered, and Wentz himself might show up on the injury report later this week.
Running Backs
- Miles Sanders: 10 carries, 28 yards | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 9 yards
- Darren Sproles 3 targets, 2 receptions, 5 yards
- Jordan Howard: 8 carries, 18 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 8 yards
The Eagles continue to use a committee approach to their backfield, and tonight none of them got going. Miles Sanders had several carries where he tried to do too much behind the line of scrimmage, spending too much time moving laterally instead of trying to get upfield. Jordan Howard was better at finding lanes to run, but couldn’t make anyone miss or run away from the Falcons defenders. Darren Sproles was barely used tonight, which was surprising given his involvement last week and the injuries other Eagles pass-catchers sustained. Sanders is the best fantasy asset of the bunch currently, but none of these players should be started until one of them emerges into a more solidified role.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Nelson Agholor: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 107 yards, 1 TD
- Zach Ertz: 16 targets, 8 receptions, 72 yards
- Mack Hollins: 8 targets, 5 receptions, 50 yards
- J.J. Arcega-Whiteside: 4 targets, 1 reception, 4 yards
Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, and Dallas Goedert all suffered injuries tonight and were unable to contribute anything in the passing game. That left Nelson Agholor as their number-one receiver, and for the most part, he produced. Agholor’s numbers tonight were great, but all most will remember is his crucial drop on what should have been the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. If the injuries to Jackson and Jeffery force them to miss time, Agholor would become a start-worthy receiver, especially in PPR leagues. Zack Ertz was mostly held in check tonight and briefly left the game with an injury of his own, forcing the Eagles to call a timeout to get him back on the field late in the fourth quarter. Ertz would also see his volume rise if the injured players should miss games going forward, but if you have Ertz you are starting him regardless. None of the other receivers took advantage of the opportunity tonight and can be avoided in most redraft leagues.
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
- Matt Ryan: 27/43, 320 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs | 2 carries, 3 yards
Matt Ryan was good enough to get the win tonight but overall did not look sharp against a very beatable Eagles secondary. On one sequence in the second quarter, Ryan missed wide-open receivers for touchdowns on back-to-back passes, and he threw a bad interception in the red zone during the third quarter. Ryan made enough plays when he needed to, including the go-ahead touchdown pass to Julio Jones on fourth down late in the fourth quarter and a beautiful deep pass to Calvin Ridley to beat a blitz for a touchdown. Ryan is a viable fantasy starter for as long as he has elite weapons around him, and games like tonight are evidence that he can have strong outings even when he’s not playing his best.
Running Backs
- Devonta Freeman: 11 carries, 22 yards | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 42 yards
- Ito Smith: 4 carries, 32 yards | 3 targets, 2 receptions, 13 yards
Devonta Freeman saw a higher percentage of the backfield touches this week but was unable to get going against a strong Eagles front-seven. Ito Smith looked a little more explosive on his carries, but neither runner stood out tonight. If Freeman continues to see the majority of the touches then he should return to at least an RB2 level, but his injury history makes Smith a worthwhile hold even if Smith’s touches decline. The Falcons have had two difficult matchups to run against to start the season, so Freeman makes for an intriguing buy-low target if his owner is getting impatient with his lack of production thus far.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Julio Jones: 10 targets, 5 receptions, 106 yards, 2 TDs
- Calvin Ridley: 10 targets, 8 receptions, 105 yards, 1 TD
- Mohamed Sanu: 7 targets, 4 receptions, 16 yards
- Austin Hooper: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 34 yards
Julio Jones was fantastic tonight despite his limited number of catches. He made a great catch over a defender down the sideline, and he made the game-winning touchdown look easy by outrunning the Eagles defense after making one cut upfield. Calvin Ridley also had a great game and could have had an even bigger night if Matt Ryan hadn’t overthrown him on a deep post route. Ridley made Eagles cornerbacks routinely look overmatched, and he looks well on his way to a breakout sophomore season. Austin Hooper and Mohamed Sanu were each involved in the offense tonight but were unable to break any big plays. They each remain players that you can start if needed, but the offense will mostly run through Jones and Ridley.
- Dan Adams