EAGLES 101

The Philadelphia Eagles are off to a 3-1 start so far this season, while the wins have not been all that impressive they have been wins nonetheless.  However, the success in the win column has not translated over to the fantasy world.  The Eagles "high octane" offense has failed to land one player in the top 10 for fantasy football position rankings.  Not Michael Vick, nor LeSean McCoy, or even Brent Celek has cracked the top 10 for their respective positions in the fantasy football realm.  That being said these guys do have potential and have performed average thus far.  With the Pittsburgh Steelers looming on Sunday, lets take a deeper look at who to sit and who to start.

QB Michael Vick: Currently through four games Vick is ranked as the 16th best fantasy QB.  Very pedestrian for a guy drafted as high as Vick, but keep in mind he turned the ball over eight times in the first three games.  He managed to take care of the ball against the New York Giants last week with no turnovers, but still only mustered 17 fantasy points.  Not bad, but not great for his "best game of the season".  This week Vick goes up against a Steelers defense that has not allowed more than 253 yards passing this season, has had two weeks to prepare due to a bye week, and also returns Troy Polamalu and James Harrison to their defense.  If you have a reliable option besides Vick, go with it.  Vick is a low end starting option this week. 

RB LeSean McCoy:  Currently ranked as the 15th best fantasy RB this season.  McCoy has racked up rushing yards this year, but the touchdowns have not been there.  McCoy has only found the endzone once this season.  He is still a must start fantasy back.  The Steelers gave up 119 yards on the ground to Oakland in their last game.  The defense is good, but McCoy should find room if the coaches stick with him.  Consider McCoy a solid #1 RB despite his struggles to find the endzone.

WR DeSean Jackson:  Jackson is the 16th best fantasy WR so far this season.  D Jack came up one yard short of a hundred last week against the Giants and scored a touchdown.  Maclin will be back this week, so Jackson's targets may decrease somewhat.  Despite that, Jackson is still Vick's go to target.  The Steelers corners are good, but not great.  Expect Jackson to get loose once or twice for some big plays this week.  The Steelers have given up a touchdown to a WR in every game they have played this season.  Consider Jackson a solid #2 WR and a high end flex option this week.

WR Jeremy Maclin: Maclin played against the Giants last week but was severely limited by his hip injury.  Maclin registered just one catch and did not appear to be himself.  He is not listed on the injury report this week, but there is no way Maclin will be completely healthy.  Maclin might have a decent game this week, but there is a cloud of uncertainty around how productive he will be due to his injury and the tough Steelers defense.  Maclin is a low end flex option this week.  Give Maclin a week or two to get back on track before reinserting him into your lineup with confidence.

TE Brent Celek: After the big game he had against the Ravens, Celek has not gotten on track.  He has no touchdowns this season, but Vick still uses him as his safety valve.  The Steelers have very athletic linebackers that poses a tough matchup for Celek.  He is a high end #2 TE this week.  He is still worth a roster spot if you can afford to keep two tight ends, but currently he has not performed up to par with a #1 TE. 

Eagles D/ST: With such high expectations coming into the season and a promising first game against the Browns, the defense has not been an elite fantasy unit.  The Steelers will be getting Rashard Mendenhall into the lineup this week, so their last ranked rushing attack will receive some fresh legs.  The Eagles defense is completely healthy heading into the matchup.  They will have their hands full with the speedy Steelers receivers and Ben Roethlisberger.  Ben does expose himself to sacks and turnovers due to his propensity to hold the ball.  However, because the unit has not scored in double digits since week 1, consider them a high end #2 D/ST this week.  Look for a defense with a easier matchup this week.  

The Eagles need to get back on track in the fantasy world, despite their ability to win close games. 

Tags: Ben Roethlisberger, Brent Celek, DeSean Jackson, Fantasy Football, Football, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy, Michael Vick, NFL, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles

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