2021 Team Preview: Philadelphia Eagles

Thanks for checking out our latest article in our 2021 Team Preview series. We will be breaking down the outlook for teams in 2021, key acquisitions during the off-season and through the 2021 NFL Draft, key losses, and looking at each team from a dynasty perspective. We’ll give you some players to consider buying, selling, stashing, and potential sleeper candidates. Stay tuned for more team breakdowns as we approach the 2021 NFL season. Here is our 2021 Team Preview: Philadelphia Eagles.

2021 Outlook

Let me start this out by saying the Eagles may not win many games this upcoming season, but they sure will be fun to watch. Philly as a city is built on a hard-nose, chin up, wake up and grind kind of attitude, and the personality of new starter, Jalen Hurts, represents the city unlike any quarterback in recent history has. As physically talented and gifted as Carson Wentz was, he was incredibly soft when it came to criticism, and that’s where the two players differ tremendously. Hurts will be a fan favorite on and off the field and especially as a key piece on our fantasy rosters. He fits the mold of the versatile quarterback you want to see this day in age, and many fans and fantasy owners have high hopes for Hurts. 

Key Acquisitions/Losses

The biggest loss on the team is that of the former starting quarterback, Carson Wentz. With that being said,  Hurts will bring new life to this offense. He brings youth, swag, and toughness that Wentz never had. At Alabama, Hurts lost his starting spot to Tua Tagovailoa, and if anything, it made him a better player. He knows what it takes to win and he knows nothing is going to be given to him. In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Eagles ended up landing the former Heisman Trophy winner, Devonta Smith, with the 10th overall pick. He is going to bring immediate playmaking ability to an offense that desperately needs it.

They also added depth to the backfield re-signing Jordan Howard and bringing in the veteran running back and former Detroit Lion, Kerryon Johnson. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles lost some real talent on a defense that finished 26th in points for, 24th in yards against, and 30th in turnovers. The hybrid Safety/Corner Jalen Mills left for New England as an unrestricted free agent and took Vinny Curry with him to the AFC East, as he signed with the New York Jets. 

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Dynasty Quick Hits

Buy Low: Jalen Reagor

Let me start this off by saying this isn’t a buy low because his value is going to skyrocket and he’s going to win you a league. This is a buy-low because his value will likely never be lower and he could turn into a very valuable piece on a deep dynasty roster. Reagor was hit with injuries throughout his rookie season as well as playing with one of the worst quarterback performances in recent history. With the addition of Smith, it will only shift coverage away from Reagor and give him more opportunities to be open. At only 5 ‘11, he isn’t going to wow you with his ability to win jump balls and muscle other cornerbacks, but what he can do is get the ball in open space and make something happen. If Reagor can stay healthy, and Hurts takes a step forward like I think he does, you should get at the very least WR4 production out of him for almost a next to nothing asking price. 

Sell High: Miles Sanders

Going into the 2020 NFL season, Miles Sanders was being drafted well within the top 10 running backs in both Dynasty and Redraft leagues. Surprisingly after a season where he only missed four games, increased his YPC, and doubled the number of times he ran it into the endzone, his ADP has dropped considerably. He is now being drafted as the RB19, which is an eye-opener for a couple of reasons. The Eagles bring in a new head coach coming from an offense that hasn’t been able to produce a solid running back season in years. They also went out and added depth at the position via free agency Johnson and Howard and in the Draft with Kenneth Gainwell. However talented he might be, it seems fairly evident that they want to utilize a group of backs. I look for the Eagles to go full committee at the position as well as running the QB option at the goal-line and really hurt Sanders’ fantasy value. Sell him while you can for a reasonable price before it’s too late. 

Sleeper: John Hightower

If there is one wide receiver on the Eagles offense that has all the tools to become a reliable deep threat, it’s John Hightower. He is the only receiver that combines size, athleticism, and especially speed. In a year where the offense struggled week in and week out, the rookie Hightower, still managed to get open deep several times throughout the season. In Weeks 6 and 7, he hauled in a 50-yard and 59-yard grab, putting opposing defenses on alert of his natural ability to get deep at the highest level. The rest of the season was riddled with injury, just like the rest of the offense, and his value quickly faded away. You can grab him for next to nothing.

Stash: Kenneth Gainwell

Gainwell was taken in the 5th round of the 2021 NFL Draft and I expect him to contribute as early as this season. He sat out his last year in college, due to the pandemic, and that may be the only reason the birds got him as late as they did. He was tremendously productive in college recording 6.3 YPC and accounting for 16 touchdowns two years ago when he was put on the national radar. He has great size for a running back at 5’ 11, 195, and has the speed to go with it, running a 4.44 40 yard dash. He may only be playable due to injuries this season, but at this position in the NFL, anything can happen.

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