Eagles WR DeVonta Smith is expected to be out 2-3 weeks with a sprained MCL, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Even the long end of that timetable would have Smith back well before the start of the regular season. But the rookie will miss valuable training camp reps and seems unlikely to play in the preseason. That could mean that he gets off to a slow start this year. We'll see how he fares when he gets back on the field.

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni called WR DeVonta Smith “a number 1 WR” on Thursday. No surprise there, as Philadelphia just took Smith 10th overall. Sirianni praised Smith’s hands, competitiveness and ability to win 1 on 1s. While his 2021 usage proved inconsistent, Smith ultimately finished with a promising 103-64-916-5 line in 17 games. He's coming off the board as a high-end WR3 in early 2022 fantasy drafts.

Eagles WR DeVonta Smith (knee) was back on the practice field on Monday. Beat writers noted that he only went through individual drills, so he still seems limited. But the rookie is clearly on track to be fine for Week 1 and still has a good chance to open the season as Philly's #1 WR.

The Eagles have upgraded WR DeVonta Smith from "week to week" to "day to day" on their injury report, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Smith was reportedly running sprints on a side field with a trainer, helmet on, during the team's Saturday practice. It sounds like he's close to returning from his knee sprain -- with nearly a month still to go before the regular-season opener. Now looks like a good time to take some shots at a lower-priced Smith in fantasy football drafts.

Eagles WR DeVonta Smith is "week to week" with a knee sprain, according to ESPN's Tim McManus. Smith sustained the injury in Sunday's practice but reportedly stayed on the field. An MRI later diagnosed a sprain. We'll see exactly how long Smith remains out, but any missed time can't be good for a rookie wideout and a QB (Jalen Hurts) heading into his 1st full starting season. Smith could become a value if this knocks his ADP down the board. He presents risk around the bottom of WR3 territory for now, though, while his absence leaves target opportunity for others.

The Eagles traded up from #12 to #10 to select Alabama WR DeVonta Smith. You know the concern with Smith: He weighed in at 170 pounds at Alabama’s Pro Day and 166 at the medical recheck in Indianapolis. That puts him in a bucket that hasn’t produced many high-end fantasy assets. DeSean Jackson is the only WR 175 pounds or lighter to top 1,000 yards over the past 10 seasons. But Smith is also 6’0 with a 78.5-inch wingspan that lands him in the 72nd percentile among NFL WRs. So he’s skinny, but not small. And he puts big check marks in the production and tape boxes. Smith is coming off a Heisman-winning 2020 campaign that saw him post a silly 117-1856-23 line. Those yardage and TD totals both rank top 6 in NCAA history. Smith’s 2019 junior season was just as impressive. The raw numbers weren’t as big: 68 catches for 1,256 yards and 14 TDs. But they came alongside a pair of 2020 1st-round picks in Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, plus a healthy Jaylen Waddle. Smith led that stacked squad in yards and TDs, ranking 2nd to Jeudy in catches. The tape shows a combination of ankle-breaking releases, silky smooth routes and uncanny ball skills. Smith wins at all levels of the field and is much better in contested situations than you’d expect from a man of his size. While the weight adds risk to his NFL projection, Smith is a guy we’re not gonna bet against. He’s simply good at football. The Eagles have now gone WR in the 1st round in 2 straight drafts after going with Jalen Reagor at #21 last year. Those guys should be the team’s top 2 WRs going forward.