The Philadelphia Eagles will be in action for the first time in the 2024 season, and in the battle of attrition over 18 weeks, they’ll need their depth to not only step up at times but play well in spot duty. The Eagles are the nightcap of the Friday slate of Week 1, taking on the Baltimore Ravens.
Here is everything you need to know surrounding the Eagles vs. Ravens Week 1 preseason game, including the channel, start time, live stream options, and more.
How to Watch Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens
- Start time: Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: Local
- Live stream options: NFL+
- Radio stations: Eagles Gameday Radio, Ravens Gameday Coverage
- Starting QBs: Kenny Pickett, Josh Johnson
- Betting lines:
- Spread: PHI -1.5
- Total: 34.5
- Moneyline: PHI -120, BAL +100
The Eagles start their preseason at M&T Bank Stadium, where they’ll take on the Ravens, who are also making their preseason debut. The 2023 season could not have ended worse for Philadelphia. After sprinting to a 10-1 start, the wheels fell off, and the team went 1-6 to finish the season, including a 32-9 whooping courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Wild Card Round.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni saved his job, but it came with much change. Defensive coordinator Sean Desai was stripped of his playcalling duties midseason and fired after the postseason drubbing, and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson was also canned after the season ended.
Philadelphia hired Kellen Moore to take over the offense and reunited with old friend Vic Fangio on the defensive side.
Sirianni will have to earn the trust of his new coordinators, and, according to Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, his quarterback too. While Hurts has some security by getting locked into a long-term contract before the 2023 season, Sirianni does not.
Will Moore be able to help the two parties see eye-to-eye where it is clear there is a lack of respect? Also, if the team quit on its head coach last season, who’s to say it won’t happen again if times do get difficult? It will be tough for Sirianni in 2024, but his job depends on it.
Eagles at Ravens Betting Preview
The Baltimore Ravens may have lost their preseason winning streak last year, but we know they take these games seriously.
They do not have incredible QB depth, even if Josh Johnson is a solid veteran option. Last year, they defeated the Eagles by one point in a very competitive game, and they arguably had better depth options at key positions then.
Of course, the Eagles will take it seriously, but will they be as ultra-competitive as the Ravens? I think the Ravens ultimately take it, but their days of dominating preseason games may be done for a little while.
For more betting analysis, make sure to check out PFN’s Week 1 preseason picks and predictions.
Fantasy Players to Watch
WR Rashod Bateman
The Ravens typically don’t play starters at all in the preseason. Even if they do, we know who Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers, and Derrick Henry are. The only real fantasy-relevant question mark on this offense is Rashod Bateman.
Now entering his fourth season, Bateman has not even come close to fantasy relevance yet. However, we have gotten a lot of offseason coach-speak about Bateman being in store for a big year. If he does play in the preseason, let’s see if he looks the part.
RB Will Shipley
The Eagles don’t play starters during the preseason. Saquon Barkley may be a new addition to the team this year, but it’s highly unlikely we see him before Week 1. The rest of the offense is returning from last year. That leaves rookie RB Will Shipley as the most interesting player to get a glimpse of for fantasy purposes.
Kenneth Gainwell is still the presumptive RB2 behind Barkley, but it will still be beneficial to see what Shipley can do. If something were to happen to Barkley, Gainwell is likely to share the backfield with someone. If we know Shipley can play at a high level, he could be a sneaky in-season pickup if Barkley is sidelined.
For more fantasy analysis, make sure to check out PFN’s fantasy players to watch during the NFL preseason.
