The Commanders have agreed to trade WR Jahan Dotson to the Eagles. They're sending Dotson plus a fifth-round pick to their division rival for a third-round pick and two seventh-rounders -- all in the 2025 draft, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and other reports.
Commanders HC Dan Quinn suggested multiple times this past week that there's an ongoing competition for the team's No. 2 and No. 3 WR spots. After Saturday night's preseason game, Quinn said that it might wind up being a rotation with WRs Jahan Dotson, Dyami Brown, and Olamide Zaccheaus.
WR Jahan Dotson worked as the Commanders' primary slot man in the team's preseason opener against the Jets. He opened the game in the slot, with Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown as the outside WRs. According to Pro Football Focus, Dotson matched McLaurin's and QB Jayden Daniels' 11 first-team snaps -- while Brown totaled just four. Dotson went on to play some with the second unit as well, though, after McLaurin and Daniels left. Dotson also remained in the slot when Olamide Zaccheaus replaced Brown for some three-WR sets with the first team. That's especially noteworthy, because Zaccheaus played 61% and 68% of his snaps in the slot the past two years (in Atlanta, then Philly).
The Eagles started Devin White and Zack Baun as their off-ball LBs in Friday night's preseason opener against the Ravens. That's especially noteworthy because LB Nakobe Dean entered the game after them. That seems a pretty clear signal Dean isn't close to retaining his starting job from last year. White and Baun both joined Philly as free agents this offseason. Baun joined the Saints as a third-round pick back in 2020 but never found his way into the lineup. He reached a 50% snap share just three times across four seasons in New Orleans.
Eagles WR Johnny Wilson has had a strong start to training camp and is making a run at the No. 3 WR job, according to The Athletic's Brooks Kubena. Wilson has started getting first-team reps, while WR Parris Campbell is sidelined with an injury.
Eagles HC Nick Sirianni sees some Danny Woodhead in rookie RB Will Shipley. Sirianni was with Woodhead with the Chargers from 2013 to 2016. Woodhead averaged 6.4 carries and 4.5 catches per game across those four seasons.
The Athletic's Brooks Kubena says for the Eagles, "No player has been as impressive in camp" as WR Devonta Smith. "Smith has caught several deep passes from Hurts through six practices, showcasing an explosivity the Eagles lacked during their late-season collapse in 2023," Kubena writes. He adds that the new offense under OC Kellen Moore might continue to feature more downfield shots. According to Pro Football Focus, Hurts ranked just 20th last year in percentage of pass attempts traveling 20+ yards downfield -- among 40 qualifying QBs.
Packers HC Matt LaFleur reportedly talked up RB A.J. Dillon at the start of training camp. According to Zach Kruse of Packers Wire, the coach said: "This is THE best I've seen him. Hands down. And I think he'd tell you the same." Dillon returned to Green Bay on a minimal one-year deal and heads toward the season as likely the No. 3 RB on the Packers' depth chart.
The Eagles selected Florida State WR Johnny Wilson in Round 6 of the NFL Draft. Wilson started out as an Arizona State Sun Devil, recruited by current Raiders HC Antonio Pierce. But the four-star California native would require patience before making his mark. 2020 turned up a pandemic-shortened season. Then in 2021, Wilson missed seven games with a hamstring. His fortunes changed in 2022 following a move to Florida State. The 6’6, 231-pounder broke through with 43-898-5 in 13 games. That’s 20.9 yards per catch – plus an eye-popping 3.36 yards per route run. Wilson’s production predictably dipped in 2023 (41-617-2). FSU welcomed in transfer WR Keon Coleman, while Wilson missed three games with an injury. Despite the up-and-down college career, the 23-year-old has a chance to stick as an outside WR in the pros. He’s a rare athlete at his size, and he proved it at the Combine with a 9.70 Relative Athletic Score. His 84.5-inch wingspan is simply enormous. This isn’t a great spot for Wilson’s dynasty value, though. The Eagles have WR A.J. Brown signed through 2029 and WR DeVonta Smith through 2028.
The Eagles selected Clemson RB Will Shipley in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. A five-star recruit and the No. 2 RB in the 2021 recruiting class, Shipley had a productive three-year career at Clemson. He totaled 2,748 rushing yards, 602 receiving yards, and 33 TDs. He’s coming off a disappointing 2023 junior campaign, though, running for just 827 yards on 5.0 yards per carry. And Shipley never fared well in advanced metrics, ranking outside the top-65 RBs in Pro Football Focus’ Elusive Rating each of the last three years. That includes a 51.5 Elusive Rating this past season – 118th among 159 qualifiers. Shipley is a bit undersized at 206 pounds with just average power and long speed. Durability is a concern, too. Shipley suffered left leg and foot injuries in 2021, a concussion in 2022, and a left knee injury in 2023. He’s at his best in the passing game, where he flashes reliable hands, good vision, and plenty of make-you-miss ability. Shipley is unlikely to be a high-volume ball carrier as a pro, but his pass-catching ability could certainly make him an asset in PPR fantasy leagues. He joins an Eagles backfield that will be dominated by Saquon Barkley for the foreseeable future. Barkley is signed through the 2026 season. Shipley will battle Kenneth Gainwell for snaps behind Barkley this year.
The Eagles selected CB Quinyon Mitchell in the first round of the NFL Draft. Mitchell posted limited tackle totals across four years at Toledo (three in the starting lineup). He defensed 37 passes over his final two seasons, though. And NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said Mitchell was “the best corner at the Senior Bowl, and it wasn’t close.” Corners carry little value in most fantasy formats, and you shouldn’t get too excited about Mitchell in your IDP rookie draft. Landing in Philly at least gives Mitchell a shot to make an impact soon. The Eagles return both starting outside corners from last year but played poorly in the secondary and are getting old at both spots.
The Eagles and WR A.J. Brown agreed to a three-year extension worth $96 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It makes Brown the league's highest-paid WR, taking that title from Amon-Ra St. Brown, who held the crown for one day. Brown is now under contract with Philadelphia through the 2029 campaign. WR DeVonta Smith is signed through 2028. The Brown extension solidifies his dynasty value, as well as QB Jalen Hurts'.
The Eagles and WR DeVonta Smith agreed to a three-year $75 million contract extension with $51 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Smith had two years remaining on his rookie deal but is now signed with Philadelphia through the 2028 campaign. The 2021 first-round pick has opened his NFL career with WR29, WR9, and WR16 PPR finishes. The presence of WR A.J. Brown (signed through 2026) caps Smith's upside a tad. But he's a rock-solid fantasy WR2 in the short and long term. The contract extension is also excellent news for QB Jalen Hurts' dynasty value.
The Packers re-signed RB A.J. Dillon to a one-year deal, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Dillon didn't seem to garner much interest on the open market after averaging a career-low 3.4 yards per carry last year. He'll return to Green Bay as a clear backup behind RB Josh Jacobs, who inked a four-year, $48 million deal earlier this week.
The Raiders signed TE Harrison Bryant to a one-year, $3.25 million deal with a max value of $4 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Bryant spent the past four seasons in Cleveland backing up TE Austin Hooper and then TE David Njoku. He'll play a similar secondary role in Las Vegas behind TE Michael Mayer. Bryant is off the redraft radar and is not a must-hold in dynasty.
The Eagles have agreed to a three-year contract with RB Saquon Barkley. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Barkley will get $37.75 million over three years, with $26 million of that fully guaranteed at signing. The pact could be worth up to $46.75 million. That money shows Philly plans to turn Barkley into the kind of lead back the franchise hasn't had for a long time. D'Andre Swfit ranked just 24th in PPR points per game at the position as Philly's top back last year. But he underperformed on TDs: five rushing scores vs. 8.2 expected, according to Pro Football Focus. Barkley should also do better than Swift's 3.06 targets per game. Philadelphia -- with QB Jalen Hurts -- isn't the optimal spot for Barkley's receiving volume. But it should present easily the best offense he's played in. No Giants offense has ranked higher than 15th in points or higher than 17th in yards since Barkley entered the league.
The Giants will not use the franchise tag on RB Saquon Barkley, allowing him to hit the free-agent market later this month, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Barkley is coming off a RB9 finish in PPR points per game, compiling 1,242 total yards and 10 TDs across 14 games. He averaged just 3.9 yards per carry but ranked a solid 13th among 49 qualifying RBs in NFL Next Gen Stats' Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt. The 27-year-old might no longer be an elite RB, but he's still a good bet to capture a big workload wherever he lands next.
The Giants used the franchise tag to keep Saquon Barkley on the 2023 roster but never worked out a longer-term pact. ESPN's Jordan Raanan reports that the team won't do so in 2024 and that "it seems like this is headed for Barkley to hit free agency." That would be the first trip into the open market for the six-year veteran, who turns 27 this week. Barkley has rebounded after losing 20 games to injury from 2019 through 2021. He has missed just four total contests over the past two years despite posting his two largest carries-per-game rates (18.4 and 17.6). Barkley's 2.91 yards after contact per carry in 2023 also was his best mark since 2019. The guy can still play and should be a good fit in any system because of his versatile skill set. Barkley sits inside Round 2 in both Underdog and FFPC ADP so far. You might be able to get him at a nice discount in dynasty, however, where managers often over-emphasize youth.
The Eagles are set to hire Kellen Moore as their new OC, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Moore is coming off a disappointing season in Los Angeles, where his Chargers finished an underwhelming 18th in total yards and 21st in points. He had a much more productive stint in Dallas the four years prior, with three of those Cowboys teams ranking top-6 in points, including first- and fourth-place finishes in his final two seasons. Moore deployed a slightly run-leaning offense (in terms of Pass Rate Over Expected) in Dallas and went slightly pass-leaning in Los Angeles last year. But his offenses have consistently played fast. In fact, all five of them ranked top-4 in both pace and situation-neutral pace. That should mean a significant shift in Philadelphia after the Eagles finished 18th in pace and neutral pace last year. We'll see exactly how much say Moore has in the offense under HC Shane Steichen.
Packers RB A.J. Dillon (thumb, neck) is inactive for tonight's Divisional Round game vs. the 49ers. That should again leave RB Aaron Jones in a workhorse role. He's totaled 84 carries and 10 targets over his last four games.
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