The NFL landscape changes yearly, and the variance spreads from free agent signings, NFL Draft picks, coaching hires, and more. Understanding what a team’s offensive scheme could look like and meshing that with relevant nuggets from the previous year helps shape our view of teams and players for the upcoming season.
That’s where this series will come in handy. Discussing pace, red zone usage, deep passing, and everything in between, I’m venturing down the rabbit hole to provide context for all 32 NFL teams and the fantasy football players you’ll select this year.
*All data utilized in this article courtesy of FantasyPros, PFF, Football Outsiders. Rotoviz, and Playerprofiler.com unless otherwise specified.*
Philadelphia Eagles Fantasy Football Stats to Know
- Last year in Weeks 1-6, the Eagles were sixth in neutral passing rate (62%) and first in neutral pace (23.3 seconds per snap). The rest of the regular season they had the second-highest neutral script rushing rate (54%) and dropped to 15th in neutral pace.
- Since 2000 only six running backs have finished a season with at least 150 touches and 900 yards from scrimmage and failed to score a rushing touchdown:
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- Kevin Faulk
- Duke Johnson
- Michael Pittman
- Charles Sims
- Marcel Shipp
- Miles Sanders
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- In 2021 only Dallas Goedert and George Kittle finished with at least 2.0 yards per route run and 6.0 yards after the catch per reception.
- In his final six starts last year, Jalen Hurts was fifth in deep ball rate (15.1%) and 13th in deep adjusted completion rate. Last season A.J. Brown was 12th in passer rating when targeted deep (120.0, minimum ten deep targets).
- Last season DeVonta Smith ranked sixth in aDOT and ninth in deep targets.
- A.J. Brown has never finished lower than fifth in yards per route run among wide receivers in his career (minimum 50 targets).
- Last year the Eagles led the NFL in red-zone rushing rate (61%). Since 2019 only five other teams (NE, LA, CAR, MIN x 2) have hit 60% or higher.
- DeVonta Smith was ranked 29th in yards per route run against zone coverage last year immediately ahead of Cole Beasley, Chris Godwin, and Terry McLaurin (minimum ten zone targets).
Philadelphia Eagles Top Fantasy Football Takeaways
The rumors floating out of Eagles’ camp about them gravitating back to more pass-happy ways could come to fruition this season. If that happens, the consensus is underrating the passing volume and thus the ceilings for the receiving options. Dallas Goedert and A.J. Brown are top-shelf players at their respective positions from an efficiency standpoint. A full-time role for Dallas Goedert for the entire season and the addition of Brown could mean huge things for a passer that’s improved at every turn in Jalen Hurts. Hurts took big strides chucking the rock down the stretch, especially when winding up downfield.
Brown is an excellent deep threat, and we could see him take the field stretcher mantle from Smith in 2022. Smith excelled last year, carving up zone coverage. With Brown in town, the Slim Reaper could see his role evolve into an underneath zone-busting assassin.
While overall passing volume should climb, this could also bleed over into the team’s offensive design near the goal line. They were so immensely run-heavy last season in this area of the field that some natural regression is bound to happen. While we’re on the subject of regression, Miles Sanders will do a touchdown dance this season. It has to happen, right? If the six-point pendulum heavily swings back in his direction, he’s also being slept on.
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