The Philadelphia Eagles will have a massive void to fill at wide receiver with DeVonta Smith being ruled out for Week 4. Smith led the Eagles in routes run, targets, and receptions through the first three weeks of the regular season.
While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have yet to allow a passing touchdown this season, there will still be plenty of opportunities for Philadelphia’s wide receivers to make plays. Tampa Bay has allowed the 12th-most passing yards in the NFL in 2024.
Smith isn’t the only wide receiver who could miss Week 4, as A.J. Brown is also questionable due to a hamstring injury. If the Eagles are without their top two wide receivers, someone will step up and provide value in fantasy football.
Can you count on any of Philadelphia’s wide receivers in Week 4?
Should You Start Jahan Dotson, Johnny Wilson, and Parris Campbell in Week 4?
All stats are from TruMedia unless otherwise stated.
Dotson’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Considering that the Eagles made a trade for Jahan Dotson before the start of the regular season, many have expected him to step up in recent weeks. Yet Dotson has failed to separate himself from the other wide receivers in Philadelphia in 2024.
Dotson’s most impressive play may have been his “pick” route against the New Orleans Saints, which freed up Dallas Goedert for a game-changing 61-yard reception.
"Mesh beats man 💪"
Jalen Hurts' last second audible sprung Dallas Goedert wide open to ice the game.#NFLTurningPoint on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/XaW0MUprqY
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) September 26, 2024
Despite running the third-most routes on the Eagles (94), Jalen Hurts has targeted Dotson just five times.
While Dotson seems like the obvious candidate to benefit from the potential absences of Smith and Brown, he has failed to do so thus far. Despite having an expanded role during Brown’s absence in each of the last two weeks, Dotson has just 14 receiving yards to show for it.
Wilson’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Johnny Wilson has run the fewest routes (25) among Philadelphia’s top wide receivers in 2024. Yet Wilson’s size and athleticism will always make him an intriguing target worth monitoring for the Eagles.
Despite running just 25 routes, Wilson has drawn four targets from Hurts through the first three games of the regular season. Wilson also leads the Eagles with 15.50 air yards per target, significantly higher than Smith, who is second on the team with 10.61 air yards per target.
Wilson has been targeted on 16% of his routes run. In comparison, Dotson has been targeted on just 5% of his routes run in 2024. Considering Hurts’ willingness to throw to Wilson, especially in contested catch scenarios and the red zone, the rookie could provide upside in deeper leagues.
Campbell’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Once Britain Covey went down for the Eagles in Week 3, Parris Campbell stepped in and immediately hauled in both of his targets from Hurts. After Covey was placed on injured reserve, Campbell should have a significant role against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Early in training camp, multiple reports suggested Campbell was the frontrunner to win the WR3 role in Philadelphia. Then Campbell missed several weeks due to injury and ultimately landed on the team’s practice squad. Now Campbell’s connection with Hurts could come in handy once again.
Campbell was targeted on 7.4% of his routes run in Week 4, as he hauled in both targets for 13 yards. Considering that he will likely fill the role created by Covey’s absence, Campbell could be in line for a similar workload, including six or more targets.
Considering Campbell’s experience and connection with Hurts, he could be a viable fantasy option in Week 4, especially in deeper leagues with full PPR scoring.