After a bumpy few weeks, the Philadelphia Eagles are 2-1 and still among the top dogs in the NFC thanks to stumbles from other elite teams in the conference. But that doesn’t mean their road to a Championship gets any easier. The near future is filled with uncertainty, especially at the wide receiver position following a flurry of injuries.
A.J Brown has missed 2 games now with a hamstring injury and while h could be primed to return in time for the clash against Tampa Bay, the reinforcements would be welcomed. DeVonta Smith is in concussion protocol following a dirty hit sustained in the win over New Orleans, and Britain Covey was placed on IR following an injury of his own.
The Eagles could be down to bare bones at the WR position this weekend and are likely to be in need of a few extra pairs of hands. Here’s a look at each receiver the Eagles might well be forced to lean on this weekend.
Eagles WR depth overview
Jahan Dotson
Acquired at the end of the offseason, former Commanders wideout Jahan Dotson is the most likely candidate to receive an increased role this weekend.
Despite playing in 69% of offensive snaps through 3 weeks, he’s only caught 3 of 5 passes for 14 yards. Dotson put up 500+ yards in back-to-back seasons with the Commanders before the trade, so it’s not like he’s incapable of being a viable weapon in this offense. For whatever reason, he just hasn’t drawn consistent looks up to this point.
Jalen Hurts might be forced to look Dotson’s way a little more often against Tampa Bay, with the wideout potentially even primed to see more snaps on the outside.
Johnny Wilson
The Eagles rookie only has one reception this season, but he was never expected to make an instant impact. With that said, he was unlucky not to haul in a second against the Saints, when the 6’6 receiver dropped a key pass. But his first-down reception was enough to at least show that he can hang with NFL DB’s as of right now.
In terms of a red zone weapon, they don’t come more ready than Wilson, who towers over opposing defenders and possesses a silky-smooth route tree. If Hurts can build his confidence over these next couple of games, there’s no reason why Wilson can’t be an asset down the stretch.
Parris Campbell
Parris Campbell was active against the Saints and caught 2 passes for 13 yards. He’s been a rotational player for most of his career but does have familiarity with Nick Sirianni and posted a career-year for the Colts in 2022, amassing 623 yards.
More of a possession receiver by nature, Campbell could be a viable target over the middle to compliment the Dallas Goedert breakout we saw last week. Goedert is bound to draw a flurry of targets after his exceptional game last week and having an extra weapon to draw eyes off of the now-top target in this offense is certainly a good idea.
John Ross
The Eagles re-signed John Ross to the practice squad following a disappointing offseason. The veteran was unable to find a new lease of life after coming out of retirement for one last rodeo. While he does possess some crafty speed, Ross was unable to reliably get open during the preseason and it’s tough to imagine him doing much damage in this offense against regular season starters.
Ainias Smith
The wildcard here is rookie wideout Ainias Smith. The Texas A&M product started his first summer in the NFL pretty slowly due to an injury setback but burst back onto the scene with some impressive stints of preseason play. If it’s speed the Eagles desire, Smith feels like the better option here over John Ross as someone who can take the top off a defense and open things up for guys like Saquon Barkley & Dallas Goedert.
Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports
