Philadelphia Eagles: 5 Sleepers to Watch This Preseason

Considering the injuries they've dealt with in training camp, a lot of potential sleeper candidates should be on display when the Philadelphia Eagles open the preseason Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Based on what's been happening thus far in camp and what went down earlier in the offseason (as well as some other factors where applicable), here are a handful of sleepers we'll be keeping an eye on throughout the preseason.

Damaris Johnson

An undrafted rookie out of Tulsa, Damaris Johnson could have a chance to make the Eagles as an extra wide receiver, primarily because he's an early favorite to return punts. 

Not only is he a great return man, but the 22-year-old had an excellent rookie camp and stood out during organized team activities. He's only 5'8" and 170 pounds, but he might only need a decent preseason to hold off guys like Chad Hall and Mardy Gilyard for one of the last remaining roster spots.

Chris Polk

It's going to take one hell of a preseason for Chris Polk to make the final 53, but I've got a funny feeling about the former Washington Huskies back. There are questions surrounding his shoulder, which is probably why he went undrafted, but Russ Lande of Sporting News named him the best undrafted player of 2012.

There's no evidence he can stay healthy, and he's been outplayed in camp by LeSean McCoy (obviously), Dion Lewis and Bryce Brown, but he's also apparently blowing guys up in pass protection. Check this out from Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com:

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Given Polk's skill set and the Eagles' current roster makeup, let's think outside the box for a moment: Could he be this team's answer at fullback?

Last week, I wrote about the team's fullback battle, which currently has Stanley Havili (6-0, 227) in the lead. Last year, per Pro Football Focus, fullback Owen Schmitt played about 15.8 percent of the snaps. He went out into pass routes 42 percent of the time, was a run blocker 41 percent of the time, a pass blocker 14 percent of the time and a runner 2 percent of the time.

Based on what we've seen so far, Polk very well could have Havili beat in three of those four categories: the receiving game, blitz pickup and running the football.

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He's still fourth on Philly's depth chart right now, but if Lewis makes the team as the top form of insurance for McCoy, then it might be smart for the Eagles to consider Polk over Brown because of his size and ability as a blocker. When you get that deep, you're not talking about guys who are getting carries anyway, and thus versatility is the key.

Cliff Harris

There's a lot of excitement surrounding Cliff Harris, who went undrafted, mainly due to character concerns. He also missed all of the offseason because of Oregon's academic calendar, but reportedly stood out in the early part of training camp. 

Harris needs to step up as both a corner and a return man during the preseason. If he can do that and beat out more experienced guys such as Brandon Hughes and Kevin Thomas, he might sneak onto the 53-man roster. 

He probably has to beat those guys out regardless, but he might be able to make the team regardless of his cover skills if he can stand out as a punt returner. At Oregon in 2010, he was one of the top playmakers in the country, taking four punts to the house while intercepting six passes. 

It would also help Harris' cause if rookie Brandon Boykin can beat out Joselio Hanson for the nickel corner spot, which might be enough for the team to part ways with Hanson. 

Cedric Thornton

As a rookie last year, Cedric Thornton was a quasi-star in camp. This year, there's a larger crowd at his position, but there are also more injuries. And this time, Thornton has a chance to benefit from a full offseason to prepare for another mad dash to make the final roster.

The 24-year-old is a big boy out of Southern Arkansas who is known for having a motor that doesn't stop running. I think the Eagles like that, and with so many defensive linemen hurt, they'll soon get a chance to see if a former Division II superstar can succeed at this level. 

Based on who they have at defensive tackle, he'll probably have to outperform Derek Landri or Antonio Dixon to make the roster out of camp. 

Brett Brackett

There were rumors throughout the offseason that Brett Brackett could have what it takes to supplant Clay Harbor and become the Eagles' No. 2 tight end for 2012. Now, with Brent Celek hurt, Brackett is getting some reps with the first team in camp, and he's been impressive thus far. 

He went undrafted last year and was signed to the Philly practice squad midway through the season, but it appears he's benefited greatly from a full offseason with the team. With Celek being eased back from injury, he'll have plenty of opportunities to shine some more during the preseason.

If he can improve his blocking and keep contributing steadily as a receiver, the team will have a hard time releasing him.