The Eagles shocked the world last night with a huge win over the San Francisco 49ers. What was somehow even more impressive than an unthinkable win, was the man responsible for the team’s winning touchdown. Travis Fulgham will already hear his name echoing around the streets of Philadelphia, just one day after his breakout.
Who?!
On the 20th of August, the Eagles plucked WR Travis Fulgham from the waiver wire. Originally a sixth-round pick of the Lions back in 2019 after amassing a 1,083-yard season at Old Dominion, he was waived by Detroit and then again by Green Bay. Third time lucky may actually be the mantra here.
At 6’2, 215 lbs, Fulgham is nearly 25-years-old. In preseason last year, he amassed 7 receptions and 147 yards, leading the team. However, he only played in 3 games as a rookie before Detroit moved on.
What?!
With all wide receiver depth having vanished off the face of the earth and onto IR, the Eagles called on Travis Fulgham to make an impact. Playing in 60% of snaps (37), he ended his day with 57 receiving yards, making his first NFL reception before recording his first-ever NFL touchdown on a 42-yard bomb from Carson Wentz. It’s been a while since Eagles fans had any reason to be excited about the #13, but Fulgham became the latest in a long-line of practice squad heroes to change their stars.
JJAW
The immediate question has to be what this means for J.J Arcega-Whiteside. Last year’s second-round pick has played in 62 snaps this season across 3 games, failing to register a single reception. This, of course, comes on the back of a rookie year in which he struggled mightily.
It may be a little too soon to expel Arcega-Whiteside just yet, who is currently injured and wouldn’t exactly have much value in a trade. JJAW has 169 receiving yards to his name on 10 receptions. Watching a receiver sign in August, make his debut, and in 3 targets make more of an impact than a second-round pick ever has in a game, surprassing his single-game receiving record, should say all you need to know.
For whatever reason, J.J Arcega-Whiteside has been unable to find his groove in Philadelphia and it’s not like the team are blessed with breathing room. Arcega-Whiteside should be producing at (any) a much higher rate than what we’ve seen so far, and seeing Fulgham’s explosion might start the process of the writing on the wall for the Stanford product.
With Alshon Jeffery’s return around the corner, it’s at least understandable to question when we’ll next see JJAW take a snap.
Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire
